Freedom Caucus congressman resigns immediately amid reports of offering a staffer $5 million to bear his child
Cliff Owen/AP
- Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona announced his resignation effective immediately on Friday, amid reports that he offered a former staffer $5 million to bear his child.
- Franks's announced earlier that he would resign after his wife was admitted to the hospital.
- He is reportedly the first Republican congressman to resign amid a wave of sexual misconduct allegations.
Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona is resigning effective immediately Friday, amid a report that he offered a former staffer $5 million to bear his child.
Franks earlier announced his resignation, saying in a statement that it was due to his wife being admitted to a hospital in Washington, DC.
"Last night, my wife was admitted to the hospital in Washington, D.C. due to an ongoing ailment," Franks' wrote. "After discussing options with my family, we came to the conclusion that the best thing for our family now would be for me to tender my previous resignation effective today, December 8th, 2017."
Franks disclosed in a statement that his wife has "long struggled with infertility" and suffered three miscarriages.
Franks, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, was embroiled in controversy this week after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced from former female staffers. Franks had reportedly asked two female subordinates to bear his child as a surrogate, prompting an Ethics Committee investigation.
In a statement on Thursday, Franks said that he would resign on January 31, 2018, citing "hyperbolized public excoriation" and becoming "deeply convinced" an impartial House Ethics committee investigation would be completed before "distorted and sensationalized versions" of the incident would surface.
"I deeply regret that my discussion of this option and process in the workplace caused distress," Franks continued.
Franks is the third member of Congress and the first Republican to announce his plans to resign amid sexual harassment allegations, according to Politico.
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