McAllister might seek probe of kissing video

Rep. Vance McAllister (R-La.) is considering sending a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) requesting an FBI investigation into the release of a surveillance video that showed him kissing a former staff member, his office said.

{mosads}”At this point, there has not been a letter sent to Speaker Boehner,” spokeswoman Jennifer Dunagin said in a statement Wednesday. “Right now, the congressman is exploring the option. This security breach is something that warrants an investigation, but how we go about doing that is yet to be determined.”

Dunagin’s comments come after a local Louisiana newspaper, The News Star, reported that McAllister’s office would request the FBI investigation on Wednesday.

The video, published by The Ouachita Citizen, shows grainy security camera footage of McAllister and his former staffer kissing in his district office before walking out of a building together. The staffer resigned after the video became public.

The revelation has spurred at least one call for his resignation, and observers have said it will likely hurt his reelection chances in November. McAllister has asked for forgiveness but said he will not resign unless there is an “outcry” for him to leave office.

So far, leaders in the House have reserved judgment on whether the freshman congressman should resign.

McAllister’s chief of staff Adam Terry said what the congressman did was wrong but called the leak of the video a serious security breach.

“Clearly, what the congressman did was wrong, and he’s taking responsibility for his actions,” Terry told the paper. “However, a breach in security in a federal office is a grave concern for us.”

Terry said the only people who had access to the security camera footage were the landlord and the office manager in the congressman’s district office, Leah Gordon.

The landlord denied he was involved, and McAllister’s chief of staff also said Gordon denied accusations that she was involved.