McAllister won’t request FBI probe of video

Rep. Vance McAllister (R-La.) has decided not to request an investigation into the leaking of a video that showed the married congressman kissing one of his staffers, his office said Wednesday afternoon.

“Congressman McAllister’s office will not pursue an FBI investigation at this time regarding the distribution of a video filmed in leased federal office space. Congressman McAllister is focused on earning back the trust of those he has disappointed, and he reiterates his request for privacy for his family during this difficult period,” Communications Director Jennifer Dunagin said in a statement emailed to The Hill. 

Earlier in the day, Dunagin said the congressman was exploring the option—a process that would start with a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

“At this point, there has not been a letter sent to Speaker Boehner,” Dunagin said Wednesday morning. “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.” 

{mosads}Two people have so far have called on McAllister to resign, though the freshman congressman said he wouldn’t. A potential primary challenger State Rep. Robert Johnson, who came in 5th in last year’s primary, and Chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party Roger Villere, want him to step down. 

McAllister’s decision not to request a probe comes just two days after The Ouachita Citizen published a video it obtained from an anonymous source.

The footage taken from a security camera showed McAllister kissing his now former district scheduler Melissa Peacock. She was taken off the congressman’s payroll after the video went viral.

McAllister’s chief of staff, Adam Terry, told The News-Star late Tuesday that the congressman would ask the FBI to investigate the leak.   

“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.”

The only people who had access to the footage were the landlord and Leah Gordon, the office manager in his district office, Terry said. 

Both the landlord and Gordon have reportedly denied any involvement.