GOP lawmaker who compared the Obamas to monkeys is accused of molesting a 17-year-old girl

Last year as the 2016 presidential campaign was at a fever pitch, Kentucky GOP lawmaker Dan Johnson made headlines when he compared Barack Obama and his wife to monkeys. Now he’s being accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl back in 2o12.

According to The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, Johnson’s victim, Maranda Richmond, has asked Louisville police to reopen an investigation into the GOP Rep. In the wake of the report, the Republican Party of Kentucky has called on Johnson to resign.

“Last October, after local media reports about reprehensible and racist posts on his Facebook page, we asked then-candidate Dan Johnson to drop out of the race for state representative,” Republican Party of Kentucky chairman Mac Brown said, according to the Lexington Herald Leader. “Following today’s extensively sourced and documented story from the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, we once again find ourselves in a position where we must call for him to resign, this time, from the Kentucky General Assembly.”

Additionally, Republican leaders in the House wrote a joint statement calling for Johnson to step aside.

“The allegations made public in today’s media accounts are shocking,” the four members of House Republican Leadership said in a written statement. “The victim’s statements, made on the record in her own name, are compelling and deeply troubling. Based on the information presented in this report, we are calling on Rep. Johnson to resign.”

Richmond reportedly attended the same church as Johnson and thought of him as a “second dad.”

From The Herald Leader:

On New Year’s Eve 2012, Johnson, who was elected to the state House in 2016, allegedly forcibly kissed, groped and used his finger to penetrate Maranda Richmond, then 17, despite her asking him to stop …

Richmond initially took her allegations to the police in 2013, but they were unable to get a taped confession and dropped the case. According to KCIR, police have reopened their investigation.

Johnson is no stranger to controversy. In the past, he has come under fire for posting racist images to Facebook.

He also was known for his hard-right evangelical views.

Johnson co-sponsored a bill that Bevin signed into law earlier this year allowing schools to offer a Bible literacy course, and he recently pre-filed a bill for consideration in the legislative session that begins Jan. 2 that would require pornography blockers on all devices sold in Kentucky that can access the internet.

In September of last year, Johnson was called out for racist images he posted to his Facebook page. One image featured a baby chimpanzee labeled as a baby picture of Barack Obama. Another picture showed ape characteristics photoshopped onto family pictures of the Obamas.

The Herald Leader reports that the allegations against Johnson make him the fifth GOP state lawmaker this year to be accused of sexual misconduct. “In October, four GOP members of the Kentucky House of Representatives secretly settled a claim of sexual harassment made by a legislative employee.”

Featured image via screen grab (WDRB)

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.