JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Leaders of both parties in former State Representative Scotty Campbell’s district are frustrated that the public wasn’t made aware of an ethics investigation into the former lawmaker sooner.

The House Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Subcommittee issued a memorandum late last month, notifying House Speaker Cameron Sexton that then-representative Campbell had violated House rules on harassment.

Leaders from the Republican Party of Carter County and the Democratic Party of Sullivan County say Campbell’s resignation was the right decision.

Campbell represented the district including all of Johnson County and parts of Carter and Sullivan Counties.

“His resignation today is the best thing he could’ve done in light of the allegations and the findings of the Ethics Subcommittee,” said Carter County Republican Party Chairwoman Abby Frye.

Democrats in the district said leadership should’ve taken a more active role in censuring Campbell.

“The real problem is with the supermajority,” said Terry Marek, who serves as chair of the Sullivan County Democratic Party. “His leadership should have said, ‘You are not fit for this body. You have to go.'”

Campbell–like other Republicans from Northeast Tennessee voted to expel Democrats Gloria Johnson, Justin Pearson and Justin Jones–a week after he was found to have violated a harassment policy.

Something Marek thinks reveals hypocrisy in the Republican supermajority.

“He was Vice Chair of the Caucus and they knew about it and they just let it ride while they were kicking other people out of the legislative body that were actively using their First Amendment rights to protest,” said Campbell.

Carter County Republican Chairwoman Abby Fry said the story should have come forward sooner.

“When there is an ethics finding, and it is something of this serious of a nature, the people of that district should be notified what the finding was,” said Frye.

But she rejected the argument that Campbell’s case reveals any hypocrisy in the Republican party.

“I don’t think it’s a Republican issue or a Democrat issue, it’s a human issue,” said Frye. “This is bad behavior regardless of how you vote on your ballot.”

The Johnson County Commission will appoint Campbell’s interim replacement until a special election is set by the Governor.