GOP Rep. Farenthold Quits Race After Misconduct Scandal

Texas GOP Rep. Blake Farenthold will finish out his term but has decided not to run for re-election in the wake of a series of sexual-misconduct allegations. Farenthold has vehemently denied the accusations, but he settled with a former aide in a sexual-harassment suit for $84,000 of taxpayer dollars. In a video posted to his Facebook page, however, Farenthold admitted: “I allowed a workplace culture to take root in my office that was too permissive and decidedly unprofessional. It accommodated destructive gossip, offhand comments, off-color jokes, and behavior that, in general, was less than professional.” He lamented his own “angry outbursts” and “failure to treat people with the respect they deserve.” The Corpus Christi Republican’s term ends Jan. 20, 2019. The Washington Examiner and The Texas Tribune reported that House Speaker Paul Ryan has encouraged the congressman to resign.