Harassment allegations seal congressman’s fate
WASHINGTON — Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, who settled a lurid sexual harassment claim with his former communications director for $84,000 and faced accusations from other aides that he ran a hostile workplace, announced Thursday that he will not run for reelection, saying the allegations have become “a political distraction.”
He is the fourth lawmaker in two weeks to announce his eventual departure from Congress amid the swirl of sexual allegations and the sixth this year.
In a nearly five-minute video posted on his campaign’s Facebook page, Farenthold denied the sexual harassment allegations from his former communications director, Lauren Greene. But he admitted, with unusual candor, that he had run an “unprofessional” workplace and that his own temper sometimes got out of hand, describing himself as “profoundly sorry” for his conduct.
“I’d never served in public office before. 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,” Farenthold said.
“It accommodated destructive gossip, offhand comments, offcolor jokes,” he went on, adding, “and I allowed the personal stress of the job to manifest itself in angry outburst and too often a failure to treat people with the respect that they deserved. That was wrong.”
Farenthold is the subject of a House Ethics Committee investigation, and in addition to Greene, two of his former press secretaries have come forward in recent days to describe a workplace culture that was more like a college fraternity house than a congressional office.
Both said Farenthold had an explosive temper, berated them repeatedly, made sexually explicit jokes and engaged in casual sexual banter that set a tone followed by his underlings.
Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters that he had spoken twice with Farenthold on Wednesday, and praised the congressman for agreeing to step aside.
“I think he’s making the right decision to retire,” Ryan said. “There are new stories that are very disconcerting.”
But Farenthold’s decision to finish out his term, rather than resign immediately, drew a sharp rebuke from Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, the House Democratic leader, who called the aides’ accusations “shocking” and “unacceptable.”
Farenthold’s announcement is only the latest. Last week, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., left amid claims he sexually harassed his aides. Rep. Trent Franks, RAriz., was pushed out by Ryan after an aide complained that he had offered to pay $5 million to carry his child as a surrogate. And Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., will quit over accusations of forcibly kissing one woman and of groping others during photo opportunities.
Before them, Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., resigned after his mistress said he had pressured her to have an abortion, and Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, announced his retirement after lewd photos of him appeared on the internet.