US lawmaker resigns over surrogate remarks

A lawmaker in the US has reportedly resigned from his post over sexual harassment allegations leveled against him.

Reports say Arizona Republican Trent Franks repeatedly asked female staff to be surrogate mothers amid an ethics investigation which forced him to throw in the towel.

Reports say the announcement came after a congressional panel said it was opening an inquiry against Mr Franks who acknowledged discussing surrogacy with two female aides when he and his wife were facing infertility.

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According to reports obtained by the Associated Press, one of Mr Franks’ former aides accuses him of offering her $5m (£3.7m) to act as a surrogate mother, repeatedly pressing her to carry his child.

One of the aides reportedly said Mr Franks retaliated against her after she turned down his alleged surrogacy requests by ignoring her and withholding assignments.

Mr Franks who said his resignation would take effect next month is the third member of Congress to resign in three days.

 

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