Republican congressman caught in kiss is asked to resign

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican U.S. congressman from Louisiana who was caught on video kissing a married staffer should resign and is an embarrassment to his state, party and Congress, the state's party chairman said on Thursday. Party chairman Roger Villere urged Representative Vance McAllister to resign in a written statement at about the same time that U.S. House Speaker John Boehner told reporters that McAllister has "got decisions that he has to make." "I expect all members to be held to the highest ethical standards," Boehner said. Boehner said he had spoken privately with McAllister, who is married and took office last November in a special election that saw him promote his Christian values. "Mr. McAllister's extreme hypocrisy is an example of why ordinary people are fed up with politics," Villere said. "A breach of trust of this magnitude can only be rectified by an immediate resignation. He has embarrassed our party, our state and the institution of Congress," Villere's statement said. McAllister apologized on Monday after a Louisiana newspaper posted a surveillance video showing him in a passionate embrace with his scheduler, Melissa Peacock, in his Louisiana office. Peacock resigned on Monday. The congressman's spokesman said on Wednesday that McAllister may request a federal investigation into the leak of the security camera video showing the incident. (Reporting By Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Grant McCool)