Brian Ellis

Faced with assault accusations, state Rep. Brian Ellis, R-11th, seems to have vanished.

Since a Jan. 24 Philadelphia Inquirer article reported that the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office is investigating Ellis for an alleged assault in Harrisburg in 2015, all of the Butler County native's regular communication channels have gone quiet.

He is on leave from his duties as a representative, and state leaders say they're simply waiting for him to resign.

Staff in his Harrisburg office say the allegations are a “personal matter” and declined further comment. Staff at his Lyndora office say the same. One woman in that office said she was sure a statement would come eventually, but she hadn't heard anything from Ellis' lawyer yet, and no, she didn't know the name of the representative's lawyer.

Staff for Ellis refer calls to Abbey Haslam, an employee of the Republican caucus who is assigned to Ellis and meant to act as a spokeswoman for legislative matters. She said she is unable to provide any further information.

A cell phone belonging to Ellis is turned off, and the associated voice mail is not set up.

The last time Ellis cast a vote in Harrisburg was Jan. 1 — the day he was sworn in for his eighth term. He was first elected in 2005. He has missed 24 votes since, according to the state House's website.

Ellis has requested leave for the last two weeks of the legislative session, according to Mike Straub, a spokesman for the Republican caucus. He or a member of his staff has to notify his party's whip that he'd be on leave, or else unexcused absences can lead to violating “chronic absenteeism” rules.

If House members begin objecting to his absences, rules state he could “be held in contempt of this House.”

Straub said that because House leadership was already calling on Ellis to resign, such rules weren't really in play at the moment.

“People aren't really trying to make these absences unexcused at this point,” Straub said. “They're waiting for him to step down and follow the orders the House leadership gave him.”

Ellis announced on Jan. 3 that he would serve as chairman of the House Consumer protection committee, but he was stripped of that title when leadership called for his resignation. He has not been allowed membership to any other committee, either.

Ellis' friends say he should be given the chance to defend himself.

Rep. Jeff Pyle, R-60th, a friend and colleague of Ellis, posed with him for a photo when they were both sworn in for this term.

But Pyle said he now isn't hearing from Ellis, either. He said the first he heard of any investigation or allegations was when a reporter asked him for comment.

“He hasn't called. He hasn't texted,” Pyle said, adding Ellis ought to be given the chance to defend himself. “The least they owe him is due process.”

Ellis' enemies say the representative's lack of explanation is suspect.

Dave Wilson, a former Buffalo Township supervisor, ran against Ellis in 2008 as a Democrat. That was the last election Ellis faced major party opposition. Wilson asked: “Why is he staying silent?”

“He doesn't want to answer to the public,” Wilson said. “If you have nothing to hide, speak to the people.”