Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) is expected to resign from Congress, multiple outlets reported Thursday, citing unnamed sources.
RollCall first reported the news, citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the situation. Citing an unnamed Republican operative, Politico also reported that Franks is expected to resign, as did CNN, citing multiple unnamed sources.
An unnamed Arizona Republican told RollCall that “rumors” of inappropriate behavior have been “swirling around” Franks “for years, at least in 2012.”
“If this turns out to be true, there won’t be that many people who are surprised,” the Arizona Republican said, according to the report.
Franks told RollCall, “We will have a statement a little bit later, but that’s all I can tell you right now.”
“The statement will explain,” he said.
Politico’s Jake Sherman reported on Thursday that Franks was the subject of attention on the House floor.
Franks said goodbye to Mike McCaul, wiped his eye and is leaving the House floor.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 7, 2017
Franks is a conservative Republican and serves on the House Armed Services and Judiciary committees.
He has previously been the subject of attention for outlandish remarks, including a claim in 2013 that “the incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.”
Franks later walked that comment back. In February, he argued the U.S.-Mexico border was so dangerously porous that nuclear weapons could be smuggled into the United States from Mexico in bales of marijuana.
