Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY), who recently floated a potential campaign against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), announced on Sunday night that he would neither run for governor nor seek reelection in 2022 after a lobbyist accused him of sexual misconduct.
“Simply put, my behavior caused her pain, showed her disrespect and was unprofessional,” Reed said. “I was wrong, I am sorry, and I take full responsibility.”
Nicolette Davis, a lobbyist for the insurance firm Aflac, had told the Washington Post that Reed unhooked her bra and ran his hand up her thigh during a gathering with other lobbyists at a bar in 2017.
The GOP congressman denied Davis’ allegation in a statement to the Post on Friday, claiming that “[t]his account of my actions is not accurate.”
On Sunday, Reed walked back his initial response and said that his “personal depiction of this event is not relevant.”
He also stated he was “powerless over alcohol” at the time and has since sought treatment for his addiction.
Reed’s announcement comes after he told Fox News “seriously considering” a gubernatorial bid to unseat Cuomo, who has been hit with multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and workplace harassment.
He’s yet another Problem Solvers Caucus member.
Now our Tom Reed Problem is solved…
GOPster takes the blame and resigns over sexual misconduct? Stop the presses!
I don’t know where to go with this…Good for him? I guess what is circling in my brain is that UNTIL he was viably accused he thought he could run against someone that he denigrated and mocked for doing the same thing and hoping nobody would remember what HE had done?
Spoken like a man who knows that much more and worse are on the way.
getting smaller
btw, the NY GOP haven’t talked about their other 2022 problem.