Texas Republican Blake Farenthold resigns from Congress amid sexual harassment allegations
The 56-year-old Texan denies the allegations
Republican Congressman Blake Farenthold of Texas has resigned following allegations of sexual harassment by a former aide.
The 56-year-old Texan said in a video statement posted on his social media accounts that he had "planned on serving out the remainder of my term in Congress, I know in my heart it's time for me to move along and look for new ways to serve”.
Mr Farenthold denied the allegations but after a House ethics committee began investigating the matter in December 2017, he said he would not seek re-election and would serve out the rest of his two-year term ending next January.
"I had no idea how to run a congressional office, and as a result, I allowed a workplace culture to take root in my office that was too permissive and decidedly unprofessional," Mr Farenthold had said at the time.
The former conservative radio talk show host had also been sued in 2014 by Lauren Greene, his former communications director, for creating a hostile work environment, gender discrimination and retaliation, court documents showed.
The pair reportedly reached a private settlement agreement in 2015 and Mr Farenthold’s office denied any wrongdoing regarding Ms Greene’s claim.
Politico had also reported last year that the Office of Compliance of the US Congress had paid out $84,000 from a public fund as a settlement to a person who had accused the former Congressman of sexual harassment.
He had not addressed that claim but said in December 2017 that he would repay that taxpayer money. As of his resignation on Friday, he has not.
In the wake of his resignation, the National Republican Congressional Committee, the group working to put GOP candidates in the House, requested he pay the money back.