Former Texas Rep. Blake Farenthold, who left Congress amid sexual harassment allegations, dies at 63
Former Rep. Blake Farenthold, who left Congress amid sexual harassment allegations, has died. He was 63.
Steve Ray, Farenthold's former longtime political consultant, told CBS News in an email Saturday that he "died because of health reasons."
Farenthold's wife, Debbie Farenthold, also confirmed to the Associated Press that he died Friday.
FILE -- Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, leaves the House Republican Conference meeting in the basement of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. ( )
Bill Clark/Roll Call/Pool
Farenthold was elected in 2010, upsetting long-serving Democratic Rep. Solomon Ortiz. Seven years later, Farenthold announced that he wouldn't seek reelection.
In a video he posted on his campaign's Facebook page at the time, he denied a former aide's three-year-old accusations, which included that he'd subjected her to sexually suggestive comments and behavior and then fired her after she complained. He apologized for an office atmosphere he said included "destructive gossip, offhand comments, off-color jokes and behavior that in general was less than professional."
He said in the video that if he stayed in Congress, he would have spent months trying to vindicate himself.
When he left office, Farenthold started his own radio show, which he continued until he died.
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