State Senator Paul LeVota resigns over sexual harassment accusations

Missouri’s top Senate leader says state Sen. Paul LeVota has submitted his resignation following allegations that he made unwanted sexual advances toward interns.

Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey said he received a resignation letter from the 47-year-old Democrat from Independence on Friday. Dempsey says the resignation is effective Aug. 23.

That follows the release Wednesday of an internal Senate investigation into a sexual harassment claim against LeVota by an intern this year. A second intern then came forward claiming LeVota invited her to his apartment and sent her inappropriate texts in 2010.

LeVota has denied the claims and previously had said he had no plans to resign.

Missouri’s two top Democrats, Gov. Jay Nixon and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, said Thursday that the allegations called into question LeVota’s ability to serve.