A series of videos showing Republican legislative candidate Kyler Sweely jumping on a motionless woman in bed and holding a pillow over her head have surfaced online, sparking outrage and speculation.
Wichita police had investigated the videos before they went public, and the woman involved stated she did not consider herself a victim, describing the incident as “friends having fun” after a night of drinking.
Sweely, who is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Jason Probst, characterized the release of the videos as a political smear.
He insisted they were taken out of context from a double date. Probst, disturbed by the footage, claimed it exhibited a disregard for another person and emphasized the need to address issues of sexual abuse normalization.
The videos circulated on Reddit, drawing significant commentary and prompting questions about Sweely’s residency, as he is reported to live outside the district he aims to represent. Both Sweely and his friend Rep. Avery Anderson, whose voice can be heard in the video, have faced criticism regarding the incident.
Kansas Reflector pursued the story through public records requests, revealing delays in obtaining police reports related to the incident.