Rep. Meehan denies harassing former aide amid settlement, loses House ethics seat
By ELANA SCHOR 01/20/2018 04:16 PM EST
Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.) on Saturday lost his seat on the House ethics committee even as he denied charges that he harassed a former aide with whom he confidentially settled a workplace misconduct claim using funds from his congressional office budget.
Meehan's settlement with his former aide, first reported by The New York Times, comes as the House prepares for an expected vote as soon as this month on a bipartisan bill that would prevent members from using their office budgets to settle harassment claims.
The reported settlement also comes weeks after a leading prospect to challenge Meehan — a top Democratic target in this year's midterm elections — stepped back from the campaign amid sexual misconduct allegations of his own.
Meehan spokesman John Elizandro said by email Saturday that the fourth-term GOP lawmaker "denies the allegations" lodged by his former aide, who charged that the work environment became hostile after she declined more than one expression of romantic interest from Meehan.
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https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/20/pat-meehan-denies-harassment-aide-misconduct-claim-congress-353583
