Aaron Coleman (born September 20, 2000) is an American politician. A
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
, he represented District 37 in the
Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for craftin ...
from 2021 to 2023. The district covers the
Turner
Turner may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name
*One who uses a lathe for turni ...
neighborhood and parts of the
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
in
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County (; county code WY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,245, making it Kansas's fourth-most populous county. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City, with which ...
. He was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives at the age of 20. Coleman previously ran a write-in campaign for governor of Kansas in 2018 and ran for the Kansas City Board of Utilities in 2019.
Coleman has been accused of engaging in abusive, harassing and/or criminal behavior on a series of occasions, although he has not been convicted of a crime as an adult. He has admitted to and apologized for childhood acts of
online bullying
Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers, as the digital ...
,
blackmail
Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fa ...
, and revenge porn. Coleman pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment as a juvenile. Following Coleman's 2020 election to the Kansas House of Representatives, many members of his own party called for his resignation due to his acts of misconduct; some called for his removal. In February 2021, the Select Investigating Committee of the Kansas House of Representatives sent Coleman a letter of warning and admonition in regard to past conduct unbecoming of a state legislator. In October 2021, Coleman was arrested on domestic violence charges; the following month, he was arrested for suspected DUI, but was never charged due to no findings of intoxication. Following his 2021 arrests, Gov.
Laura Kelly
Laura Jeanne Kelly (born January 24, 1950)"Laura Kelly," ''Kansapedia,'' called for his resignation. In February 2022, Coleman was suspended from the state Democratic Party for two years.
Coleman sought re-election in 2022, but was defeated in a landslide by Melissa Oropeza in the Democratic primary.
Early life
Coleman lives in Kansas City, Kansas with his family. He has worked as a
dishwasher
A dishwasher is a machine that is used to clean dishware, cookware, and cutlery automatically. Unlike manual dishwashing, which relies heavily on physical scrubbing to remove soiling, the mechanical dishwasher cleans by spraying hot water, ...
. As of 2020, Coleman attended
Johnson County Community College
Johnson County Community College (JCCC) is a public community college in Overland Park, Kansas, which is in Johnson County.
History
In 1963, Johnson County Commissioners, recognizing the emerging community college movement and seeking to acco ...
. He is
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
.
Political career
In 2017, as a seventeen-year-old who had dropped out of high school, Coleman entered the race for
governor of Kansas
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
as a write-in independent candidate ahead of the 2018 election. Democrat
Laura Kelly
Laura Jeanne Kelly (born January 24, 1950)"Laura Kelly," ''Kansapedia,'' won the election.
In 2019, Coleman ran for the board of public utilities in Kansas City, Kansas.
Kansas House of Representatives
Elections
In 2020, Coleman defeated seven-term incumbent Stan Frownfelter in a Democratic primary in Kansas House of Representatives District 37. The victory was considered an upset. Coleman, then 19 years of age, won by just 14 votes. The district covers the
Turner
Turner may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name
*One who uses a lathe for turni ...
neighborhood and parts of the
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
in
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County (; county code WY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,245, making it Kansas's fourth-most populous county. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City, with which ...
.
After Coleman admitted to
online bullying
Cyberbullying or cyberharassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers, as the digital ...
,
blackmail
Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fa ...
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
'', August 17, 2020. Coleman initially dropped out of the race, but later reversed his decision. Democratic House Minority Leader
Tom Sawyer
Thomas Sawyer () is the titular character of the Mark Twain novel ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' (1876). He appears in three other novels by Twain: ''Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1884), ''Tom Sawyer Abroad'' (1894), and ''Tom Sawyer, Dete ...
, supported Frownfelter's write-in campaign, as did Democratic Governor Laura Kelly. Another candidate, Kristina Smith, a paralegal and treasurer of the Wyandotte County Republican Party, also pursued a write-in campaign. The Kansas Young Democrats endorsed Frownfelter and condemned Coleman.Rupert, Mary Election night totals shocking to Rep. Frownfelter ''Wyandotte Daily.com'', August 5, 2020.
In August 2020, Coleman told former Republican state lawmaker John Whitmer that he would "laugh and giggle when you get COVID and die". Coleman claimed Whitmer was repeating anti-mask “conspiracy theories”.
Coleman ran on a platform of women's rights (specifically, access to contraceptives and abortion services, as well as equal pay), tuition-free public college,
defunding the police
"Defund the police" is a slogan that supports removing funds from police departments and reallocating them to non-policing forms of public safety and community support, such as social services, youth services, housing, education, healthcare and ...
,
Medicare for all
Single-payer healthcare is a type of universal healthcare in which the costs of essential healthcare for all residents are covered by a single public system (hence "single-payer").
Single-payer systems may contract for healthcare services from p ...
, legalizing
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
, and the
Green New Deal
Green New Deal (GND) proposals call for public policy to address climate change along with achieving other social aims like job creation and reducing economic inequality. The name refers back to the New Deal, a set of social and economic refo ...
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
'', August 14, 2020.
Coleman won the general election to the Kansas House of Representatives on November 3, 2020 at the age of 20, garnering 66% of the vote against two write-in candidates, including Frownfelter.
In November 2020, Coleman tweeted that he would "call out a hit" on Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, and predicted she would face an "extremely bloody" Democratic primary in
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
. Coleman said that his tweet was not a call for physical violence against the governor,Morales, Christina Aaron Coleman: Democrat who admitted to revenge porn and bullying wins state house seat ''London Independent'', November 9, 2020. but an expression of his belief that Kelly's moderate political positions did not appeal to him or the party's left wing; he self-identifies as a
democratic socialist
Democratic socialism is a left-wing political philosophy that supports political democracy and some form of a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on economic democracy, workplace democracy, and workers' self-management within a ...
. In response, Sawyer and state Democratic chair Vicki Hiatt stated that Democrats in the House would file a complaint against Coleman when he was sworn in and work for the two-thirds vote required to remove him from office. Seven recently elected female Democratic state legislators signed a December 21, 2020, letter calling on Coleman to resign before taking office.New Kansas lawmakers, Democratic leaders demand resignation of State Rep.-elect Aaron Coleman '' KMBC TV Channel 9'',
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
, December 22, 2020.
Coleman ran for re-election to the Kansas House of Representatives in 2022. He faced two primary challengers and finished in a distant third with just 13.1% of the vote. Melissa Oropeza, a
nurse practitioner
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe m ...
, won the Democratic primary with 49.2% of the vote.
Tenure
On December 31, 2020, Democratic House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer denied Coleman any committee assignments in the incoming legislature.
On January 13, 2021, two days after being sworn in to the Kansas House of Representatives, Coleman announced he had left the Democratic Party and would sit as an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
. On February 8, he re-joined the Democrats.
In February 2021, following a hearing, the Select Investigating Committee of the Kansas House of Representatives dismissed a complaint against Coleman regarding acts of misconduct he committed before taking office.Complaint against Rep. Aaron Coleman dismissed, as legislators favor informal discipline ''
Topeka Capital-Journal
''The Topeka Capital-Journal'' is a daily newspaper in Topeka, Kansas, owned by Gannett.
History
The paper was formed following numerous name changes and mergers, including the merger of ''The Topeka Daily Capital'' and ''The Topeka State Jour ...
'', Andrew Bahl, January 23, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022. The Committee later sent Coleman a letter of warning and admonition in regard to past conduct unbecoming of a state legislator. Following Coleman's October 2021 arrest on domestic violence charges, Sawyer called Coleman's more recent arrest "extremely disturbing news" and said Coleman should "resign and get the help he badly needs." After Coleman was arrested again in November 2021, for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, Sawyer again requested Coleman's resignation. Gov. Kelly called for the legislature to expel Coleman if he did not voluntarily leave office. A complaint was filed seeking Coleman's removal from office.
In February 2022, the Kansas Democratic Party suspended Coleman for two years.
Legal troubles and allegations of wrongdoing
Coleman has been accused of engaging in abusive, harassing and/or unlawful behavior on a series of occasions.
The Intercept
''The Intercept'' is an American left-wing news website founded by Glenn Greenwald, Jeremy Scahill, Laura Poitras and funded by billionaire eBay co-founder Pierre Omidyar. Its current editor is Betsy Reed. The publication initially reported ...
Kansas City Star
''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and as ...
'' reported that in May 2015, when Coleman was 14, he was arrested and charged for threatening to shoot a girl at another high school. He was initially charged with a felony count of making a criminal threat, but later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of harassment.Bergan, Shain State Rep-elect from KCK vows to "call out a hit" on Kansas governor, says 2022 primary will be "extremely bloody" '' KCTV Channel 5, Kansas City, Missouri'', November 6, 2020.
Coleman has apologized for his bullying, extortion, and revenge porn activities. Coleman asserted he had experienced child abuse from his elementary school teachers. On June 17, 2020, Coleman said, on
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
, that he spent “the vast majority” of his elementary school education “in a closet” instead of getting proper help at school. Coleman claims that he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder at 15.Turner USD #202 school district, where Coleman went to elementary school, stated that it does not “put kids in closets”.
Allegations and charges of adult misconduct
Harassment
On December 4, 2020, Kathleen Lynch, a
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County (; county code WY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,245, making it Kansas's fourth-most populous county. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City, with which ...
judge, issued a temporary anti-stalking order (no-contact order) against Coleman after Brandie Armstrong, the campaign manager for Frownfelter, accused Coleman of harassment. The two later reached an agreement.Kansas City, Kansas, lawmaker-to-be under order not to contact foe's aide '' KMBC TV Channel 9'',
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
, December 9, 2020.
In 2021, Democratic House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer accused Coleman of having threatened Sawyer's former chief of staff, Heather Scanlon.
In October 2021, Coleman was banned from all offices of the
Kansas Department of Labor
The Kansas Department of Labor is a state agency in Kansas that assists in the prevention of economic insecurity through unemployment insurance and workers compensation, by providing a fair and efficient venue to exercise employer and employee rig ...
after allegedly accosting a police officer in "a loud and demanding tone" when demanding to enter a restricted section of the agency's Topeka headquarters. Coleman disputed this account.
Domestic violence
Coleman's ex-girlfriend, Taylor Passow, has alleged abuse against Coleman from an alleged incident in late 2019."Ex-girlfriend: Kansas House candidate was abusive last year" ''Associated Press'', August 27, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
On October 30, 2021, Coleman was arrested by Overland Park police on a domestic violence charge. Coleman was alleged to have hit and spat upon his brother and to have threatened to attack his grandfather. Coleman was released on bail, with the judge ordering him to undergo a mental health evaluation and follow recommendations by the provider. He pleaded not guilty.State Rep. ordered to undergo mental evaluation, pleads not guilty to domestic battery '' WIBW'', Melissa Brunner, November 1, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
Driving under the influence
On November 28, 2021, Coleman was arrested in
Douglas County, Kansas
Douglas County (county code DG) is located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 118,785, making it the fifth-most populous county in Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Lawrence.
Histor ...
on suspicion of (DUI). He had been cited for doing 91 mph on an Interstate, and failing to follow the instructions of the police officer who made the traffic stop. In January 2022, it was announced that no criminal charge would be filed due to lack of evidence of intoxication, and Coleman was instead charged with traffic infractions (specifically, he was charged with exceeding maximum speed limits and failing to yield to emergency vehicles).