USA Today
AUSTIN — A Texas lawmaker under fire over a sexual harassment lawsuit, will withdraw from the March 6 Republican primary.
Mike Bergsma, chairman of the Nueces County (Texas) Republican Party, said he was told Thursday morning by four-term U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold's campaign team he will not seek re-election next year.
"It's a damn shame," he said. "He's been an excellent congressman, and I'm sorry this has happened.
"One wonders whether anyone could have survived scrutiny that intense."
A statement from Farenthold's camp was expected later Thursday.
Farenthold, who was seeking a fifth term representing the Coastal Bend area of Texas, has been under intense fire since it was disclosed that he settled a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former aide with $84,000 in taxpayers’ money. He has said the settlement was a strategic decision to put the matter to rest even though he insists the charges are untrue.
The U.S. House Ethics Committee is looking in the allegations even though the Office of Congressional Ethics has said the allegations were unfounded.
On Dec. 1, a Politico report brought attention to a three-year-old dispute involving accusations that Farenthold's allegedly inappropriate behavior led to the termination of a former staffer, Lauren Greene. The two parties settled the matter out of court two years ago, and the controversy was all but dormant. But Politico revealed that the money used to settle the case – $84,000 – came from taxpayer funds.
Farenthold's term ends in 2019.
