Rep. Vance McAllister Caught Kissing Aide on Video, Apologizes
A security camera video leaked today shows Rep. Vance McAllister (R-La.) kissing one of his aides.
The smooching took place at his congressional office a few days before Christmas last year. McAllister had only been in office for a little over a month at the time, having won a special election in mid-November. The Ouachita Citizen, a local newspaper, was the first to report:
The woman who McAllister, 40, was caught kissing for almost half a minute is Melissa Anne Hixon Peacock, 33, of 400 Zachary Way, Sterlington. She is McAllister's district scheduler.
Peacock donated $5,200 to McAllister's congressional campaign last fall, according to the Federal Election Commission. According to the FEC, Peacock listed her employment at the time of the donation as a self-employed cosmetologist. She joined McAllister's congressional staff after he took office in November. Photographs posted to Facebook show Peacock was involved in a number of McAllister's campaign events during last fall's congressional race.
Peacock's husband, Heath Peacock, donated the same amount, apparently.
The Ouachita Citizen notes some hypocrisy on the representative's part:
Throughout last fall's congressional campaign, McAllister, a Republican from Swartz, touted his Christian faith and in one television commercial, he asked voters to pray for him. At least two other campaign television commercials featured McAllister walking hand in hand with his wife, Kelly, while their five children walked along. One television commercial captured the McAllister family in the kitchen of their home preparing breakfast before attending church.
McAllister acknowledged the incident and he issued an apology later in the afternoon:
"There's no doubt I've fallen short and I'm asking for forgiveness," McAllister said in a statement. "I'm asking for forgiveness from God, my wife, my kids, my staff, and my constituents who elected me to serve. Trust is something I know has to be earned whether your a husband, a father, or a congressman. I promise to do everything I can to earn back the trust of everyone I've disappointed."
