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Texas congressman who settled harassment case with taxpayer funds resigns

WASHINGTON — Rep. Blake Farenthold, the Texas Republican who used $84,000 in taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment case with his former communications director, abruptly resigned from Congress on Friday afternoon.

At the time, he was one of several lawmakers to announce his eventual departure from Congress after being accused of sexual harassment and discrimination.

“While I 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,” Farenthold said in a statement Friday, thanking his staff, his family and the voters who elected him.

It was known for several years that Farenthold, already notorious for a heavily circulated photograph of him in duck pajamas, had been accused of sexual harassment by Lauren Greene, his former communications director. She sued him in 2014, claiming that he had illegally fired her after she complained about mistreatment.

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But in December, the extent of Farenthold’s settlement was revealed when Congress’ Office of Compliance released details of six settlements that it had paid out since 2013 as part of a review of discrimination and sexual harassment in congressional offices. His case was the only settlement involving sexual harassment since 2013.

“While I 100 percent support more transparency with respect to claims against members of Congress, I can neither confirm nor deny that settlement involved my office,” Farenthold said at the time.

A decision in 2015 by the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent, nonpartisan board, cleared him of wrongdoing, and he promised to repay the settlement.

A spokeswoman for Farenthold did not respond to questions about whether he had fulfilled that promise or whether he would do so after resigning. But fellow Republicans suggested that he had not.

“Farenthold made a commitment that he used as a would reimburse taxpayers for the settlement,” said AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. “He reiterated his commitment to the speaker, and the speaker expects him to follow through.”

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Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, also said in a statement that he hoped Farenthold would be “true to his word” and pay back the taxpayer money.

After the disclosure, more of his aides came forward to accuse Farenthold of fostering a hostile environment, describing a congressman with a harsh temper who made sexually explicit jokes and engaged in casual sexual banter.

The House Ethics Committee also opened a subcommittee investigation into Greene’s allegations.

In a video in December announcing his resignation, Farenthold continued to deny the allegations, but he acknowledged running an “unprofessional” workplace and said he was “profoundly sorry” for his actions. At the time, Republican leadership praised his decision to step aside, over Democratic criticism that he should immediately resign.

After his resignation Friday, Farenthold deleted his Twitter account and the Facebook campaign page where he first announced his decision to not seek re-election.

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“Leaving my service in the House,” he said in his statement, “I’m able to look back at the entirety of my career in public office and say that it was well worthwhile.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

EMILY COCHRANE © 2018 The New York Times

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