TX Rep. Used Treasury Fund To Settle Sex Harassment Claim: Report

A Texas lawmaker was revealed by Politico to be the only known member of Congress to have used a congressional account to pay a settlement in a sexual harassment case. Rep. Blake Farenthold, a Republican who represents Texas' 27th congressional district reportedly used the funds to pay his former staffer a $84,000 settlement.

The case was brought against Farenthold in December 2014 by a former communications staffer and alleged gender discrimination, sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. In the lawsuit, the staffer claimed one of the congressman's aides told her Farenthold had "sexual fantasies" and "wet dreams" about her. The staffer claimed that when she complained, Farenthold fired her.

Neither Farenthold nor the lawyers representing the woman confirmed to Politico that the settlement was paid by the congressman to his former staffer. A joint statement prepared by both parties that was never released when the settlement was reached confirmed that the two reached a deal to save expenses to those involved, including taxpayers.

The statement, which was obtained by Politico, also said that Farenthold "disagrees strongly" with the allegations.

Farenthold issued the following statement in response to the report published in Politico.

On Friday, it was reported that the little-known fund has only been used once in the past five years by a member of Congress to pay a settlement over alleged sexual harassment. Over that time period, the fund has been used six times but only one of those payments was related to claims of sexual harassment.

Photo by Jacquelyn Martin, File/Associated Press