Democrat who flipped GOP House seat hit with sexual harassment investigation

A newly elected House Democrat who defeated Republican Rep. Max Miller in Ohio is facing a sexual harassment allegation involving a woman who worked on his campaign.

Rep.-elect Brian Poindexter is the subject of an investigation by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Punchbowl News congressional reporter Ally Mutnick reported Friday.

The allegation stems from Poindexter’s campaign earlier this year. The investigation remains ongoing.

“The DCCC has been made aware of the allegations and takes them seriously,” DCCC executive director Julie Merz said in a statement shared by Mutnick.

Merz said the committee hired an independent, third-party firm to investigate the allegations, interview witnesses and establish the facts.

The committee has requested that the investigation be “swift, thorough and transparent,” according to Merz.

The development comes after the outlet reported that two influential Democratic political organizations removed Poindexter from their online endorsement lists.

Republicans wasted no time pouncing on the allegations.

“How many months did the DCCC know about Poindexter allegedly sexually harassing a woman on his campaign?” Will Kiley, communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCCC), wrote on X.

“Did they know before or after spending $1M on his race?” he continued.

“What did Hakeem Jeffries know? How deep does the cover-up go? Will they call on him to step aside?”