The Senate elected Senate Majority Leader Harriette Chandler of Worcester Monday night to serve as acting president during an investigation they were prepared to initiate into alleged sexual misconduct by Sen. Stanley Rosenberg's husband Bryon Hefner and Hefner's possible influence on Senate business.
Senators, after a full day of closed door deliberations, also said they welcomed an invitation by prosecutors to explore possible criminal wrongdoing and outlined the process they plan to use to conduct their own investigation into the situation centered around one of the state's most powerful Democrats.
The Senate investigation should "take as long as it takes," Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, signaling a potentially long period of uncertainty in the Senate about the outcome of the probe, leadership considerations, and impacts on the policy agenda of Democratic House and Senate leaders.
Chandler is a senior member of the leadership team assembled by Rosenberg, who agreed Monday to take the momentous step of relinquishing the presidency while the Senate investigation unfolds. Chandler said the Senate Ethics Committee, chaired by Sen. Michael Rodrigues, would take over the investigation.
Asked whether she was resolved to step down as acting president upon the completion of the Ethics Committee investigation, Chandler said, "I am resolved to do so."
What that means for Rosenberg and the future of Senate leadership remains unclear, since the results of the investigation will prove influential.
SHNS Video: Chandler, Tarr After Marathon Caucus
Chandler said she did not yet know whether Rosenberg would be given committee assignments or other duties such as those assigned to senators.
Senators said the Senate Ethics Committee plans to hire an independent investigator to conduct the probe, which will be limited to whether Sen. Rosenberg violated Senate rules or engaged in improper conduct.
The Senate adopted, by voice vote, an order accepting Sen. Rosenberg's offer to step down from the presidency while the Hefner-Senate investigation unfolds.
Sen. Pacheco declared the office of president vacant at 7:37 p.m., and the Senate then quickly elected Chandler acting president on a vote of 31-6.
Chandler, of Worcester, is the second woman to serve as Senate president, following former Senate President Therese Murray of Plymouth.
The four days since the Boston Globe published an explosive report about Hefner's alleged assaults have been "so turbulent, so tragic, so surprising and so sad," Chandler said.
