© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kansas Rep. Aaron Coleman arrested on domestic violence charge

Kansas Rep. Aaron Coleman has been arrested on a domestic violence charge.
Aaron Coleman For Congress
Kansas Rep. Aaron Coleman has been arrested on a domestic violence charge.

The Kansas state representative was arrested over the weekend on charges of domestic violence. Aaron Coleman has admitted to abuse, bullying and revenge porn while he was in middle school.

Rep. Aaron Coleman of Kansas City, Kansas, was arrested over the weekend on domestic violence allegations.

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office records show that Coleman was booked on Sunday at the Johnson County jail for domestic battery charges with no priors.

He is scheduled to appear before a judge on Monday.

Coleman, who took office in January, has previously been accused of abusive behavior. Some of his fellow Democrats are calling for him to resign.

"This is extremely disturbing news. We are watching closely to make sure we gather all the facts,” Kansas House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer said in a statement. "His constituents and the State of Kansas would be better served if he were to resign and get the help he badly needs.”

“However," Sawyer said, "I want to reiterate again that the House Democratic Caucus does not condone this behavior in any way, shape, or form."

Coleman represents the 37th district of the Kansas State House of Representatives.

Allegations of abuse first surfaced in August 2020 during his primary election against the the incumbent, Stan Frownfelter. Coleman was accused of abuse, bullying and revenge porn in middle school. An ex-girlfriend also accused him of hitting and choking her.

In January, Sawyer and 12 other Democrats filed a complaint against Coleman in an attempt to remove him from office because of his history of abusive behavior. A house committee issued a written warning to Coleman, determining that the allegations in the complaint were true and his conduct was "unfitting" for a lawmaker.

In October, the Kansas City Star reported that Coleman had been banned from the Kansas Department of Labor for allegedly berating a police officer while entering the property.

More than ever, education lies at the intersection of equity, housing, funding, and other diverse issues facing Kansas City’s students, families and teachers. As KCUR’s education reporter, I’ll break down the policies driving these issues in schools and report what’s happening in our region's classrooms. You can reach me at jodifortino@kcur.org.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.