Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona says he will resign

Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona, who asked staffers if they would bear his child as a surrogate, says he will resign

So I searched ATS and didn't see this posted yet. I also had to truncate the title of the article.

Looks like a Republican Congressmen is the next fall guy in the ongoing sexual harassment purges.

Rep. Trent Franks, an Arizona Republican who is among the most conservative members of the House, said he would resign his seat after House officials learned that he had asked two female employees to bear his child as a surrogate.

Franks’s announcement came as the House Ethics Committee said it would create a special subcommittee to investigate Franks for conduct “that constitutes sexual harassment and/or retaliation for opposing sexual harassment.”

His resignation, which Franks said is effective Jan. 31, will end the ethics investigation.

Franks said in his statement that the investigation concerns his “discussion of surrogacy with two previous female subordinates, making each feel uncomfortable.”

Apparently he asked two of his staffers to be surrogate mothers for him. I can see how that is inappropriate. Those women didn't sign up to work for him to be baby incubators. They signed up to work in politics. There are proper channels to pursue to get a surrogate mother and he allegedly shirked that responsibility.

It also looks like he is resigning to get in front of the ethics committee that is being formed to investigate his behavior.

In his statement, Franks said he never “physically intimidated, coerced, or had, or attempted to have, any sexual contact with any member of my congressional staff.”

“However, I do want to take full and personal responsibility for the ways I have broached a topic that, unbeknownst to me until very recently, made certain individuals uncomfortable,” Franks said, adding, “I deeply regret that my discussion of this option and process in the workplace caused distress.”

Franks explained in his statement that he and his wife have long struggled with infertility. After having twins with a surrogate, the couple sought additional children, he said.

I feel for him and his wife' infertility issues and this crisis is likely not as big as other sexual harassment cases, but the rules are the rules. At least he is responsible enough to admit when he was in the wrong instead of making a giant political debate about it.

I hope they continue to clean house.

There has to be more to it than that. I think he is being preemptive before something more damning is exposed.

Yeah I understand that asking staffers to be surrogates is largely inappropriate, but not necessarily falls into the harassment category. There is a time and a place for everything and at work is NOT the time and place for that type of conversation.

a reply to: SgtHamsandwich

If I had to guess, I'd say he is doing it so that this doesn't become some giant political fiasco where the media drags him and his wife's personal business through the mud. Couple infertility is a private and embarrassing situation. I'd bet that his wife urged him to resign before it became a huge deal and he agreed.

That's why not only are we hearing about the scandal for the first time, he is resigning along with the announcement. That's my guess at least.

This case is a little messed up. Apparently, Franks' wife has had at least 3 miscarriages, and they'e used surrogate pregnancy before. But asking your subordinates to be surrogate mothers is definitely not appropriate.

I think you should leave ats, your comments make me uncomfortable.

Not fair, you say?

This guy's giving up his real life career.

Walk the talk buddy.

Walk-the-talk

a reply to: Krazysh0t
Agreed, a very stupid thing to ask subordinates.

There are qualified women out there that advertise their services in this area... he should have tried that.

Get thee gone, dumbass elected representative.... we need better people than this.


NOW, how about opening the books on that damn slush fund and clean house correctly!

BTW, Star and Flag on your post!

originally posted by: AndyFromMichigan
This case is a little messed up. Apparently, Franks' wife has had at least 3 miscarriages, and they'e used surrogate pregnancy before. But asking your subordinates to be surrogate mothers is definitely not appropriate.

What do you think the punishment should be?

Pretty normal to talk to the people you work with.

"Can I have sex with you" in inappropriate. This sounds like networking for a surrogate for a medical procedure.

Would you guys want removal of his job if he was asking if anyone wanted to be a blood donor for his kid with bone cancer?

Or, is the mere mention of reproduction a trigger for this daily rapeomania hysteria.

I know the op is doing another " my team" routine, but seriously.

Does the punishment fit the crime?

originally posted by: Mandroid7
I know the op is doing another " my team" routine, but seriously.

Um... What? That was uncalled for. I made this OP as non-partisan as possible and am not even insulting the Congressman who is resigning here. In fact I sympathized with him in the OP. What is wrong with you?

Does the punishment fit the crime?

There is no punishment. He is resigning on his own.

PS: I never said anything about fairness.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

And this, absolutely unrelated case, which is nothing to do with sexual harassment or anything even remotely similar to it, is why those who ARE involved in unwarranted and uninvited sexual conduct, should be ashamed of themselves. Their behaviour makes normal, and actually quite positive communication between people, utterly impossible.

That being said, there is one thing I would suggest to any political figure who is seeking to ask a colleague a question like this:

Invite the person you wish to surrogate for you, to lunch with yourself and your spouse. Don't just ask on a whim, and fluster someone on the spot. Ask them to lunch with your spouse and yourself, have a meal, have a discussion, maybe let your wife broach the question. If a person has a problem with being asked in a reasonable fashion with all the necessary tact and diplomacy, in a neutral space, they may well be the one with the problem.

Chatting casually about it in ones office however, is probably not the way forward.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Yeah. I'm reasonably sure he could beat the accusation if he fought it. This just isn't as serious as all the other accusations. That's why I feel like this was a mutual decision between him and his wife to keep their personal life out of the national media news, or at least to mitigate it as much as possible (since we are discussing it now).

a reply to: Krazysh0t


What You failed to mention was Mr. Franks had "Lil Frank" poking out of the zipper when He begge... uh.....er..... asked.

a reply to: JimNasium

Is this true? I didn't see that mentioned in the OP article.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

If he's resigning, it makes me wonder how much of the story he is sharing here.

If what is reported here is true, him resigning isn't really justice.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I mean ya...A responsible work environment should allow a boss to ask a staffer if she wants to have sex as long as its for a baby...

No baby? Now that's another story...

I feel for the guy...infertility problems can be devastating.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I don't think this is a story of justice being served though. I agree with you that the whole story probably isn't being told and he recognized the current political climate. So he probably decided to just get in front of it before his whole personal life was plastered all over the national media.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Weeeelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, one can tell whether the subject is Rep or Dem depending on who posts it. Not like either "side" points out the foibles of their own parties.

a reply to: intrepid

That's fair. I guess, but I only posted this because I was surprised that no one else had.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: intrepid

That's fair. I guess, but I only posted this because I was surprised that no one else had.

Do you really have to wonder why?