Elizabeth HagedornNewly-elected Congressman Vance McAllister says he's sorry after local paper posted this building surveillance video from December showing what looked to be the married lawmaker kissing a female staffer. (Via The Office of Rep. Vance McCallister)
Late Monday, McCallister came clean about the video and apologized to his constituents in a statement provided to the Monroe News Star. He said, “I have fallen short as a husband and a father, and I feel more ashamed than you can imagine.”
Quite a few media outlets picked up on the irony of McCallister locking lips with a woman who isn't his wife. (Via The Wire, Slate, New York Post)
When he ran for a seat in the state's 5th district last November, the Louisiana Republican made his his Christian values and family a big focus. (Via McCallister For Congress)
"The values we live by are faith, family and country. That's how I built my business and how my wife and I are raising our children." (Via McCallister For Congress)
Now, McCallister's no stranger to controversy. He made headlines in January when he invited a cast member of “Duck Dynasty” to be his guest at the president's “State of the Union” address shortly after Phil Robertson's polarizing GQ interview. (Via The Times-Picayune)
And despite this latest controversy, his chief of staff told the News Star, McCallister has no plans to resign and he will seek re-election.
Though as Roll Call points out, that hasn’t stopped several other potential challengers in his own party from eyeing his seat.
And the fallout might not be limited to the campaign trail. National Journal points out because the staffer was a paid, part-time member of McCallister's office, that potentially opens the congressman up to a House ethics investigation for misconduct.
The News-Star also reports the staffer allegedly seen in the video has been temporarily taken off the payroll.
