Amy Koch on why women in politics still have to break the 'glass floor'

It's been almost eight years since Amy Koch watched her career and personal life implode on television. 

In what became known as the "Scarlet Letter Award Ceremony," the state's first woman Senate Majority Leader watched as four of her male colleagues detailed allegations against her of an extramarital affair with a staffer. She resigned her position and did not seek re-election. 

This experience gives a unique perspective at a time when more women are running for and holding office, making cases like that of Rep. Katie Hill more likely to occur.

She shared that perspective in a deeply personal essay in the Star Tribune Wednesday, and on Thursday, she joined News Talk 830 WCCO host Chad Hartman for a candid conversation about what she went through, and whether she thinks anything has changed since. 

"I'm finally tough enough to be able to say it and speak some truths that I really like couldn't at the time," Koch said. 

In her view, while there is a broad understanding of the need to treat people fairly as they climb their way up the career latter, there is not as much understanding when it comes to the same fair treatment in moments of failure. She calls it running into to a "glass floor." 

"I broke the glass ceiling on being the first woman Senate Majority Leader, but I couldn't say I broke the glass ceiling on having a scandal, a sex scandal. But I did, it happened and I had no one to look at."  

Koch continued: 

"So, with Katie Hill and others that are going to start to come forward now, I'm just here to say let's treat everybody fairly. If we're going to treat everybody fairly on the way up, we have to recognize their failings in exactly the same way as well," she said. 

Hartman asked her if she thought her situation would have been handled the same way if she had been a man. 

Would @justamykochhave been asked to resign if she were a man?And was that a bong in the Nats celebration last night?!Check out today's post show video.Amy Koch interview: https://t.co/8Mp0J2Xhk6World Series/KAT v. Embid talk: https://t.co/51r2dk0o5w pic.twitter.com/n7QOp51djq

She explained that it was a question she had always avoided because she didn't want to seem like she was out to get someone or like she was whiney — but the answer to her was clear. 

"Of course not, and certainly not in the way that it was done. Like perhaps I would've stepped down for personal reasons, I might've come to that decision on my own, but it certainly wouldn't have been handled the way it was." 

Listen to the full interview below:

Amy, thanks for coming on, so few of us understand what it’s like when our difficult life challenges are right in front of entire state as opposed to the closest people in our life, your candor was insightful and heartfelt.— Chad Hartman (@ChadHartmanShow) October 31, 2019