Rapist Rep. Brian Ellis (R) with Annie Rosellini, Miss Pennsylvania 2013After months of lies claiming he didn't rape anyone, Republican rapist Brian Ellis resigned from the Pennsylvania state House Monday. Ellis had represented part of Butler County (HD-11) since 2005. The 97% caucasian district is so red that the Democrats haven't put up an opponent there in over a decade.Ellis, who was chair of the House Consumer Affairs Committee, also served on the House Ethics Committee and was, predictably, the Pennsylvania State Leader for ALEC. He wrote a series of crackpot anti-Choice, anti-regulatory and pro-gun bills-- and lots of bills about alcohol. Which is as ironic as him serving on the Ethics Committee since a couple of years ago he slipped a knockout drug into a state legislative aide's drunk, dragged her back to his home and raped her while she was incapacitated-- and then refused to resign for almost 3 months after a formal investigation had begun. Governor Tom Wolf and the legislative leaders of both parties had demanded he resign after it became apparent that he is a rapist and posed a danger to the other women working for the state government.A little about Butler County, which is just north of Pittsburgh. In the 2016 primary, Trump got more votes than Hilly and Bernie combined. In the general election, Trump swamped Hillary 61,388 (66.7%) to 26,834 (29.2%). In the Senate race that year, Republican incumbent Pat Toomey beat Democrat Katie McGinty by about the same margin. In last year's Senate race, far right Republican challenger Lou Barletta beat centrist Democrat Bob Casey (who won the state handily) 59-39%. And Governor Wolf, who was reelected with an even bigger margin than Casey, also lost Butler County-- 56.8% to 41.3%. Butler County is part of PA-15, PA-16 and PA-17 and solidly supported Republicans Glenn Thompson, Mike Kelly and Keith Rothfus this past cycle.In his delusional resignation statement to the House Speaker, Ellis wrote "It is with immense gratitude to the sacrifices made by my family, the support of my constituents, and the friendship of my colleagues that I have concluded that it is in the best interests of my family, the residents of the 11th House District, and my own health that I resign from the General Assembly." His legal team insists that the charges are "just plain false" and an effort to "generate sensational press coverage." No comment from Trump so far. But Ellis' wife of twenty years has filed for divorce.
Source