First-term Republican State Senator Roger Kahn is proving to be particularly wrathful in his dealings with other legislators and staffers. In the latest incident, when a legislative aide realized he’d left the Senator’s car keys in a capitol office, he was repaid with a street-corner shouting session and a shattered cell phone, courtesy of the short-tempered legislator:
Kahn was spotted by witnesses "angrily shouting" at the aide on a Lansing street near the Capitol about 2:30 a.m. when he told the lawmaker he didn’t have the keys and may have left them in another Republican senator’s office. Kahn would not name the employee.
The article said state Sen. Glenn Anderson, D-Westland, one of his aides and a Secretary of the Senate’s staff member saw Kahn snatch the cell phone from the aide "and threw it to the ground stomping on it."
Kahn seemed so agitated Anderson had attempted to calm the lawmaker, Gongwer reported. Kahn eventually returned to the Capitol building and had a "spirited" discussion with Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester. Anderson said he had picked up a piece of the cell phone off the ground, the story said.
Kahn allegedly also became physical during the incident:
Late Monday, Senate Democratic Caucus spokesman Alex Rossman released a statement, based on information he said he received from witnesses, that alleged Kahn "grabbed" and "physically shook" the staff member after he couldn't produce the senator's car keys. Kahn has denied any physical contact.
If true, this is a serious allegation. If a private citizen ever tried to "physically shake" a lawmaker and destroy the lawmaker’s property, that person would likely be facing battery charges.
But this isn’t the first time Kahn has gotten into trouble for his temper. In fact, he’s quickly earning a reputation as a lawmaker with a short fuse and a disturbing pattern of conduct unbecoming of an elected official.
In June of 2009, he was investigated for allegedly physically threatening a 72-year-old Democratic lawmaker in an elevator in the capitol building. According to Democratic Senator Irma Clark-Coleman’s account of the incident, Kahn had to be restrained by another Republican Senator.
At the time, the Republican Senate Majority Leader refused to investigate further. Now that Kahn is in the news again for similar behavior, the Majority Leader’s spokesperson is telling local media that, once again, there will be no investigation.
[cross-posted at DLCC.org]