Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold used taxpayer money to settle a claim brought about by his former communications director, according to a new report.
Politico details the allegations:
Greene, the Texas Republican’s former communications director, sued her boss in December 2014 over allegations of gender discrimination, sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
Greene said another Farenthold aide told her the lawmaker said he had “sexual fantasies” and “wet dreams” about Greene. She also claimed that Farenthold “regularly drank to excess” and told her in February 2014 that he was “estranged from his wife and had not had sex with her in years.”
When she complained about comments Farenthold and a male staffer made to her, Greene said the congressman improperly fired her. She filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, but the case was later dropped after both parties reached a private settlement.
Per Politico’s report, no details of the settlement were ever released to the public.
It’s alleged that the dispute was settled for a sum of $84,000.
Greene’s lawyers and Farenthold’s office have will not confirm nor deny that Greene was the recipient of an $84,000 settlement.
Farenthold is not the first person outed this year for past transgressions while in office where taxpayer-funded settlements were utilized. Detroit Congressman John Conyers also used taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment allegation.
