Rep. Trent Franks,
R-Arizona, is expected to resign after an ethics inquiry into sexual harassment claims, according to sources.
WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona said Thursday he is resigning next month after revealing that he discussed surrogacy with two female staffers.
The eight-term lawmaker, a staunch conservative and fierce opponent of abortion, said in a statement that he never physically intimidated, coerced or attempted to have any sexual contact with any member of his congressional staff.
Instead, he said, the dispute resulted from a discussion of surrogacy. Franks and his wife have 3-year-old twins who were conceived through surrogacy.
Franks said he had become familiar with the surrogacy process in recent years and “became insensitive as to how the discussion of such an intensely personal topic might affect others.”
He said he regrets that his “discussion of this option and process in the workplace” with two female staffers made them feel uncomfortable.
In a statement, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said that when he learned of the allegations, which he considered “serious and requiring action,” he told the lawmaker he should resign.
Franks said he would step down effective Jan. 31.
In a one-page statement late Thursday, the House Ethics Committee said its members were examining whether Franks “engaged in conduct that constitutes sexual harassment and/or retaliation for opposing sexual harassment.” The statement noted that while it was establishing an ethics subcommittee, that didn’t mean that any violations had occurred.
Franks has been a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus. He’s a staunch social conservative who sponsored House-passed legislation to make it a crime for any person to perform an abortion if the age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more.
Also Thursday, the ethics committee said it unanimously voted to establish an investigative panel to examine sexual harassment allegations against Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas. The committee said it will investigate whether Farenthold sexually harassed a former member of his staff and retaliated against her for complaining.
Another congressman, Rep. Ruben Kihuen of Nevada, a Democrat, has been accused of sexual aggression against a former campaign aide. He said he would not resign.