Facing an ethics investigation and mounting pressure from his constituents, Rep. David Wu, a Democrat from Oregon, is resigning as soon as the debt ceiling debate comes to an end.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) formally called for an ethics investigation, earlier this week, after allegations surfaced that Wu had a sexual encounter with a teenager in November.
The Oregonian, which first published the allegations, reported today that Wu had left the door open to his resignation while maintaing that he had done nothing "illegal."
Update at 12:39 p.m. ET. A Bit More From Wu's Statement:
The Oregonian has a bit more from Wu's resignation statement:
"With great sadness, I therefore intend to resign effective upon the resolution of the debt ceiling crisis. This is the right decision for my family, the institution of the House, and my colleagues."
...
Wu's announcement came only minutes after Oregon's two Democratic senators - Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley - called on him to resign, saying the embattled lawmaker had lost his ability to effectively serve in the wake of accusations of improper sexual conduct that "are both jarring and exceptionally serious."
Update at 12:31 p.m. ET. For The Well Being Of His Family:
Portland's KGW confirms that Wu has announced his resignation, saying "the well-being of his children should come first, so he will resign after Congress resolves the debate over the debt ceiling."
Update at 12:26 p.m. ET. A Bit Of Background:
The Oregonian broke the Wu story with this piece last Friday. In it the paper reports that a distraught young woman left a message at Rep. Wu's office that accused him of "an unwanted sexual encounter." They add:
In the voice mail, the young woman accused Wu of aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior, according to sources with direct knowledge of the message and its contents.
Reporters could not verify the young woman's age. Notes on Facebook over the past 18 months indicate she graduated from high school in 2010. California records show she registered to vote in August.
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