BOSTON — An ethics investigation into Massachusetts’ former Senate president has found he “failed to protect the Senate” from his husband, who’s accused of sexual abuse and harassment.
The Senate Ethics Committee said in the report released Wednesday that President Stan Rosenberg did not violate any formal Senate rule, but showed “a significant failure of judgment and leadership.”
The investigation began after allegations that Rosenberg’s husband, Bryon Hefner, sexually abused or harassed several men.
Hefner has since been indicted on charges including sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty and his lawyer says he will defend himself in court.
The ethics report does not call for any specific sanctions against Rosenberg, but recommends that he not serve in a position of leadership in the body in the immediate future.