Farenthold Backpedals on Pledge to Repay Harassment Settlement Funds

U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) has backpedaled on his pledge to pay back the $84,000 in taxpayer money he used to settle a sexual-harassment complaint from a former spokesperson. The Corpus Christi-based Republican was sued in December 2014 by his former communications director, Lauren Greene. When news broke of the settlement, the representative promised to pay back the money, which was initially taken from the U.S. Congressional Office of Compliance. Now, Farenthold’s office says he is “waiting to see what changes the House makes to the Congressional Accountability Act before repaying the funds.”