Connecticut Rep. Elizabeth Esty announces she won't seek re-election
Connecticut U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat, announced Monday she won't seek re-election amid calls for her resignation over her handling of a sexual harassment case involving her former chief of staff.
Esty issued a statement Monday saying she has determined it's in the best interest of her constituents and her family to end her time in Congress at the end of this year "and not seek re-election." Esty is serving her third term. She is also again apologizing to a former female member of her staff who said she was punched in the back and received death threats from Esty's former chief of staff in 2016. The man accused of punching her was not fired for several months, pending an internal investigation.
"In the terrible situation in my office, I could have and should have done better," Esty said in her statement. "To the survivor, I want to express my strongest apology for letting you down."
Esty had previously resisted calls to step down.
Republicans pounced on the opportunity to win her seat, which was last held by a Republican in 2007, when incumbent Rep. Nancy Johnson lost to a challenge by Chris Murphy, who now serves in the U.S. Senate. National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) communications director Matt Gorman released a statement Monday afternoon that read, ""The NRCC is ready to win this competitive seat this fall. Democrats won't be able to distance themselves from the stain Esty left on their brand."
Esty, who has been called upon to resign by other Connecticut politicians including fellow Democrats, says she'll work to improve workplace protections during her final months in office. Earlier Monday, she asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate whether she committed any wrongdoing in how she handled the firing of her former chief of staff, who was accused of harassment, threats and violence.
In her letter to committee members, Esty says she learned through a third party in 2016 about possible misconduct involving her then-chief of staff. Esty has said she fired him three months later, after an internal investigation revealed widespread harassment allegations from staff. Esty, known in Congress for advocating women's rights issues, said she has since hired new senior staff and instituted mandatory harassment training.
Esty says questions have been raised about her handling of the dismissal and she wants the panel to decide whether she violated any law, rule or other standard of conduct.
