Arizona congressman Trent Franks ,who promised to resign in January after aides said he asked them to be surrogate mothers, quits TODAY because ‘his wife was admitted to the hospital’
Republican Trent Franks and his wife Josephine had twins using a donor egg and a surrogate in 2008
Three years later he asked two ‘female subordinates’ to bear another child for them
Franks said Thursday that he would resign at the end of January to prevent ‘sensationalized trial’ in current climate
But after Josephine landed in the hospital hours later for an ‘ongoing ailment,’ he said Friday that he would step down immediately
By DAVID MARTOSKO
DAILYMAIL.COM
8 December 2017
Arizona congressman Trent Franks said Friday that his resignation would be effective immediately – not at the end of January. Franks announced Thursday that he planned to quit after two female aides complained that he had asked them to be surrogate mothers for his child.
The Republican decided to step down to prevent a ‘sensationalized trial’ after The House Ethics Committee said it would investigate him to see if his conduct ‘constitutes sexual harassment.’
But he’s leaving the U.S. Capitol early because his wife landed in the hospital to treat an unspecified chronic ailment just hours after his legislative career came crashing down.
‘Last night, my wife was admitted to the hospital in Washington, D.C. due to an ongoing ailment,’ Franks said in a statement. ‘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, a staunch conservative, asked two ‘female subordinates’ to bear his child in 2011, three years after he and his wife had twins using a donor egg and a surrogate.
The 60-year-old said in a statement on Thursday: ‘Due to my familiarity and experience with the process of surrogacy, I clearly became insensitive as to how the discussion of such an intensely personal topic might affect others.
‘I deeply regret that my discussion of this option and process in the workplace caused distress.’
Franks said he felt a fair investigation was impossible in the current climate as sexual harassment allegations continue to emerge in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
He added: ‘I am deeply convinced I would be unable to complete a fair House Ethics investigation before distorted and sensationalized versions of this story would put me, my family, my staff, and my noble colleagues in the House of Representatives through hyperbolized public excoriation.
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