FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Kentucky Democratic lawmaker accused of sexual harassment by several women has no plans to step down, despite two suggestions from Gov. Andy Beshear that the first-term lawmaker step down.

Several women have accused State Rep. Daniel Grossberg of sexual harassment. They claim the democratic lawmaker sent inappropriate text messages about their appearance and reached out to them late at night.

The governor issued a statement in late August saying Grossberg should give "serious thought" to resigning. He repeated that suggestion during a Sept. 20 news conference, saying Grossberg should step down immediately.

"Nobody should face harassment in their place of work, in the capitol anywhere across the commonwealth," Beshear said during the news conference. "And when it appears a state rep is engaging in that type of conduct we just need to speak in one clear voice that it is absolutely unacceptable."

Grossberg is banned for life from Foxy Lady Gentlemen's Club on Berry Boulevard in Louisville for inappropriately touching a dancer. Staff members say he was a regular, and often got aggressive with the dancers when he was drunk.

"You can't be a rep and engage in this type of conduct, but no human being should make other people feel unsafe. Harassment is wrong in all of its forms," Beshear said. 

Beshear is one of several Democrats calling for Grossberg's resignation. He said if Grossberg won't resign, the only way for him to be removed is impeachment.

"I'm hoping that today the message is loud enough and clear enough, and Rep. Grossberg decides to take the right action."

Grossberg has already been temporarily suspended from the House Democratic caucus and removed from his interim committee assignments after allegations arose this summer he had engaged in inappropriate conduct, according to reporting from the Associated Press. 

Grossberg's Democratic House colleagues also requested that the Legislative Ethics Commission investigate the allegations against him, which Grossberg and his attorney deny.

The lawmaker narrowly won his spring primary and is unopposed in the November election.

On Thursday, Grossberg's attorney, Anna Whites, said Grossberg "has a duty to his constituents and he intends to fulfill the role they elected him to serve."

Whites said Grossberg believes "the governor and others do not have accurate information and cannot accurately assess the situation." She said he looks forward to participating in an ethics hearing so he can address the allegations and "correct these false statements."

The allegations against Grossberg came to light in reports by the Lexington Herald-Leader. The newspaper said it initially interviewed three women who said they received inappropriate text messages from the lawmaker about their appearance, and often got messages from him late at night.

Soon after the initial reports, a group for young Democrats in Kentucky called on Grossberg to resign.

A month later, the Lexington newspaper reported on new allegations from three more women who described problematic interactions with Grossberg. Those allegations included inappropriate, harassing or sexually-tinged text or direct social media messages, the newspaper said.

Whites has pushed back against the allegations publicized. On Thursday, she said Grossberg had not been contacted by the governor.

"At this point, Rep. Grossberg is allowing the ethics commission to do its job," Whites said. "Many of the statements against him in the ethics proceeding were false or inaccurate or taken out of context."

Under state law, legislative ethics complaints and investigations by the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission are confidential until resolved in a public hearing, said Emily Dennis, the commission's acting executive director. As a result, the commission cannot confirm whether it has received a complaint or whether Grossberg is under investigation, she said.

Grossberg was elected to the Kentucky House in 2022 when he defeated longtime Democratic state Rep. Tom Burch. During his first term, Grossberg has been an outspoken supporter of civil rights, gun control and legal access to women's reproductive rights, including abortion, and he frequently denounces antisemitism.

Republicans have supermajorities in both of Kentucky's legislative chambers.

Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved.