Former Democratic Rep. Wiley Price of St. Louis has won a court case to recoup thousands of dollars in seized salary, marking a reversal of fortune in one of the many sexual misconduct cases involving public officials in recent years. Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe ruled late last week that the Missouri House of Representatives lacked the authority to deduct approximately $22,500 from Price's paychecks to cover costs of an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations.
Price was accused in 2020 of having sex with an intern, threatening a staffer to keep quiet, and lying while under investigation. An attempt to expel Price from the House failed to get the necessary two-thirds majority in January 2021. Instead, colleagues voted overwhelmingly to censure him and deduct salary to cover investigation costs.
What the Left Is Saying
Price's attorney, former U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan, argued that the legislature exceeded its authority. 'Even grade-school children recognize that you can't change the rules after the fact,' Callahan said Tuesday. 'You don't have to know Latin to know that there's an unfairness about that.' Price did not contest the underlying allegations in his lawsuit, instead focusing on procedural questions about the legislature's authority to impose financial penalties.
Advocates for those subjected to harassment have said resignations provide accountability only if followed by substantive changes to how allegations are handled. 'It is an ongoing problem that there is kind of a get-out-of-jail-free card, where you can resign with dignity and we stop a political tsunami,' said Emma Davidson Tribbs, founding director of the National Women's Defense League. 'That is not enough.'
What the Right Is Saying
Missouri House officials have defended their actions, noting that colleagues voted overwhelmingly to censure Price after the sexual misconduct allegations emerged. A spokesperson for the Missouri House said chamber officials are reviewing the court order and evaluating their next steps following Judge Stumpe's ruling.
The judge's decision centered on procedural grounds — that House rules made no mention of potential fines or cost recoupments when an ethics committee recommended punishment in December 2020, and after a new two-year session began in 2021, the House could not legally continue the case nor retroactively change its rules. Critics have noted that while the legal reasoning may be sound, it does not address the seriousness of the original allegations against Price.
What the Numbers Show
Price is one of at least 158 lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct in state capitols since 2017, the year the #MeToo movement gained significant momentum, according to a tally by The Associated Press. More than one-third of those accused resigned or were expelled from office, and roughly another third faced repercussions such as losing party or committee leadership positions or being formally censured.
A report released Tuesday by the National Women's Defense League cataloged 30 members of U.S. Congress who faced publicly reported workplace sexual harassment or misconduct accusations since 2006. The report noted that actual instances of harassment and misconduct by federal and state lawmakers likely are several times higher than what's publicly reported, because many people targeted are reluctant to go public due to fear of retaliation.
The Bottom Line
The court's ruling means Price will recoup the seized salary, though he lost the Democratic primary in 2022 and no longer serves in the legislature. The case highlights the procedural complexities that can arise when legislative bodies attempt to punish members outside established rules. The Missouri House is reviewing the decision and has not indicated whether it will appeal. Meanwhile, advocates for harassment victims continue to push for systemic changes to how sexual misconduct allegations against lawmakers are investigated and adjudicated.