Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, might be leaving Washington before his term is up after all.
Following reports late last year that Farenthold had settled a credible sexual harassment lawsuit with taxpayer money, the congressman said he would pay back the funds and retire at the end of his term.
There is still no indication he’s returned the money. In fact, by February Farenthold’s chief of staff told the Huffington Post that rather than making good on his commitment, he was “waiting on the advice of counsel to see what final bill is enacted,” referring to whether the Senate would pass a version of the Congressional Accountability Act. No longer seeking re-election, it seemed Farenthold had found an excuse to to run out the clock and avoid cutting a check.
Now, Politico is reporting that Farenthold “has spoken informally with several top Republicans about the possibility of stepping down” and “is on the brink of leaving Congress well before the end of his term.” Farenthold’s office told Politico on Tuesday he “has no plans to resign at this time.” (Emphasis added.)
Recall that in December, the Washington Examiner’s David Drucker reported that Farenthold was resisting House Speaker Paul Ryan’s, R-Wis., private calls for him to resign rather than retire.
That Farenthold now appears to be weighing a resignation is curious, given that it would allow him to avoid further investigation from the Ethics Committee. Did the congressman flip flop on returning the money because he was no longer vulnerable to losing reelection, and then flip flop on resigning because it would allow him to dodge an investigation?
