mj, what s the latest? the trent franks resignation was a shock to even some of his colleagues and the back story is really something. he said in a long statement that he and his wife have had fertility issues and they were able to have twins some years back using a surrogate. they were interested in having a third child and they were looking for another surrogate to help them do that. in the course of the conversations he spoke with at least two female subordinates about the issue and said he probably made them feel uncomfortable and may have been insensitive. he insists he never physically intimidated or coerced anyone and never had contact with anyone on his staff. he is being looked at, but what we heard from paul ryan about the congressman was striking. he said he heard credible allegations and as soon as he found out about them, he asked
he s stepping down after being confronted. well, it s not clear but we re told congressman franks apparently approached two of his female staffers about him needing a sar gas urrogate to c baby. franks said in part the current cultural and media climate and unable to complete a fair house ethics investigation escorted and sensationalized version would put me and my family through high personalized and sensational trial by media to damage those things i love most, excuse me. this morning i notified them as of january 31st, 2018.
committee began an investigation into this. congressman franks issued a statement late this afternoon saying, in part, i have absolutely never physically intimidated, coerced or had, or attempted to have, any sexual contact with any member of my congressional staff. and he said this. my wife and i have long struggled with infertility. we experienced three miscarriages. we pursued adoption on more than one occasion, only to have the adoptive mothers in each case change their mind prior to giving birth. this is all unfolding against the backdrop of roy moore s campaign to win a seat in the u.s. senate from alabama. tomorrow night the president will hold a rally in pensacola, florida, less than 20 miles from the alabama state line, well within media reach of many of the state s voters. this has presented what some might call an optics issue for the president and his party. our own kristen welker brought it up today in the briefing room. we see democrats forcefully
together, we re building a better california. three lawmakers out of office in one week. on monday senator al franken and john conyers have given no indication they had any intention of abandoning their post. we had no idea trent franks had done anything inappropriate. this morning all three resigned in disgrace after women stepped forward and said the men sexually harassed them. i have covered congress for
settle a sexual harassment claim from one of his staffers. it s been interesting this week, on the republican side while democrats have been twisting themselves into knots over those members of congress, there are almost no calls for blake farenthold s resignation or any consequences for him despite the non-decemb non-disputed revolutions that there was a tax settlement in his office and announced they will start an investigation into blake farenthold over that matter. speaker of the house paul ryan referred to the committee an allegation concerning arizona conservative republican congressman trent franks. now, trent franks has been in congress for i think 14 years. he s one of the more visible