Rep. Elizabeth Esty announced Monday that she will not run for re-election after allegations that her male chief of staff verbally and physically attacked a female staff member.
“Too many women have been harmed by harassment in the workplace. In the terrible situation in my office, I could have and should have done better. To the survivor, I want to express my strongest apology for letting you down,” Ms. Esty, Connecticut Democrat, said in a statement.
Her chief of staff, Tony Baker, is accused of assaulting another staff member, making sexual advances and punching her in the back, and was allowed to stay on staff for months afterward. After he was eventually fired, Ms. Esty wrote a letter of recommendation praising him for his work.
Mr. Baker apologized for his actions and said he’s made improvements to his life since the incident took place.
“I can only hope that my actions moving forward and over a lifetime of recovery can prove that I am a better man than I was during the time that I worked on Capitol Hill,” he said in a statement, according to the New Haven Register.
In addition to not running for re-election, Ms. Esty also sent a request to the House Ethics Committee to investigate her actions and determine if she violated any rules regarding her handling of the office situation.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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