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发帖数: 897 | 1 Arizona Rep. Trent Franks allegedly made unwanted advances toward female
staffers in his office and retaliated against one who rebuffed him,
according to House GOP sources with knowledge of a complaint against him.
The allegations, which reached Speaker Paul Ryan and top GOP leaders in
recent days, led to Franks' sudden resignation this week. Franks originally
announced that he would resign on Jan. 31, 2018. But just hours after
POLITICO inquired about the allegations, he sped up his resignation and left
office Friday.
The sources said Franks approached two female staffers about acting as a
potential surrogate for him and his wife, who has struggled with fertility
issues for years. But the aides were concerned that Franks was asking to
have sexual relations with them. It was not clear to the women whether he
was asking about impregnating the women through sexual intercourse or in
vitro fertilization. Franks opposes abortion rights as well as procedures
that discard embryos.
A former staffer also alleged that Franks tried to persuade a female aide
that they were in love by having her read an article that described how a
person knows they’re in love with someone, the sources said. One woman
believed she was the subject of retribution after rebuffing Franks. While
she enjoyed access to the congressman before the incident, that access was
revoked afterward, she told Republican leaders.
Franks denied all of the allegations through a spokesperson on Friday. In a
statement Thursday, Franks acknowledged discussing surrogacy with his
staffers and apologized for making them feel uncomfortable. But he said he
“absolutely never physically intimidated, coerced, or had, or attempted to
have, any sexual contact with any member of my congressional staff."
Also on Friday, the Associated Press reported that Franks offered to pay an
aide $5 million to carry his child and pressured her relentlessly on the
matter.
New details about the controversy surrounding Franks come as sexual
harassment allegations have engulfed Capitol Hill. Franks became the third
lawmaker this week alone to announce that he will step down after being
accused of sexual misconduct, following Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Sen.
Al Franken (D-Minn.).
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) personally hastened Franks' departure,
which the congressman said would be in late January but which on Friday he
said would take effect immediately. Two weeks ago, a person contacted Ryan’
s general counsel about “troubling” behavior by Franks directed at a
former staffer. Ryan’s staff then reached out to the former staffer to
verify the information in an interview conducted last week.
The staffer told her story and detailed alleged misconduct by Franks about
another staffer, which a third party aware of the situation verified.
Ryan was briefed on the matter, then asked Franks to resign. |
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