Tony Cornish

Overview

Minnesota Republican state Representative Tony Cornish resigned effective November 30, 2017, after multiple women including fellow Representative Erin Maye Quade and lobbyist Sarah Walker publicly accused him of years of sexual harassment. Twenty-five colleagues interviewed by MPR News described a pattern of unwanted sexual advances.

Description

Rep. Erin Maye Quade and lobbyist Sarah Walker went public with harassment complaints against Cornish in November 2017. Former House Speaker Kurt Zellers said he had confronted Cornish about harassing women during his 2011–2012 tenure as Speaker. MPR News interviewed 25 Capitol staff, lobbyists, and legislators who described a sustained pattern of unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate flirtatious contact by Cornish over years. Under a settlement, Cornish was required to resign within 24 hours, pay the complainant’s $4,200 legal fees, and issue a public apology. He apologized in his resignation statement for making colleagues feel ‘uncomfortable and disrespected.’