CORPUS CHRISTI (WBAP/KLIF News) – Republican Representative Blake Farenthold of Corpus Christi announced that he won’t seek re-election next year as he battles allegations of sexual harassment and verbal abuse of his staff.
Farenthold has been under fire in recent weeks, after it was revealed that he had paid an $84,000 sexual harassment settlement using taxpayers’ money.
The accusations first surfaced in 2014, when a former aide sued him over sexually-charged comments and behavior and said that she was fired after she complained.
Farenthold denied the allegations and settled the case in 2015.
The House Ethics Committee announced last week that it would investigate Farenthold’s use of taxpayer money to settle the case.
After widespread criticism, Farenthold said he would pay the Treasury Department back.
The embattled representative said he plans on finishing his current term, which ends in 2019.
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