Former Rep. Trent Franks wants to return to Congress. Here's how it ended last time

Former Rep. Trent Franks served in Congress for almost 14 years before it all came quickly crashing down.

Franks, R-Ariz., announced earlier this week that he is seeing the House seat that incumbent Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., if vacating. He previously represented the area of Arizona's 8th Congressional District, which covers north Glendale, Peoria and Sun City West from 2003 until 2017. Franks resigned from his position in Congress soon after he was accused of making unwanted sexual advances toward female staffers in his office, including one who alleged that he retaliated against after she rebuffed him.

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Trent Franks scandal: What happened that led to his resignation?

The unwanted advances began when Franks approached two female staffers about potentially acting as a surrogate for him and his wife, Josephine Franks. The couple had been struggling with fertility issues and previously had twins through surrogacy.

However, in making the request, the aides were concerned that Franks was asking to have sexual relations with them as they were unsure if Franks was asking to impregnate them through sexual intercourse with him or in vitro fertilization.

Additionally, a former staffer of Franks alleged that the representative attempted to persuade a female aide that she were in love with him after making her read an article on the topic. At the time, the Associated Press reported that Franks offered to pay an aide $5 million to carry his child, all while relentlessly pressuring her to do so. The former aide said he asked her at least four times.

The aide said the conversations took in place in private, such as Franks' car, even after she told him she wasn't interested. The aide said she never filed a formal complaint against Franks because she wasn't sure where to launch that complaint, but it was reported that the behavior made her feel uncomfortable. Additionally, the aide said that she never saw the $5 million contract that Franks offered her because she refused to consider it.

This aide, whose identity the Associated Press protected at the time because of privacy concerns, said she also felt retaliated against for telling Franks no. After rebuffing him she was ignored by Franks and didn't receive many assignments. She cited this as a main reason for leaving his office.

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What did Trent Franks say about the scandal that led to his resignation?

In a Dec. 7, 2017, statement, Franks acknowledged discussing surrogacy with female staffers but denied having a sexual contact, or attempting to, with his aides and staffers.

" ... I do want to take full and personal responsibility for the ways I have broached a topic that, unbeknownst to me until very recently, made certain individuals uncomfortable," he said in the statement.

"I have recently learned that the Ethics Committee is reviewing an inquiry regarding my discussion of surrogacy with two previous female subordinates, making each feel uncomfortable," Franks continued. "I deeply regret that my discussion of this option and process in the workplace caused distress."

The scandal resulted in calls for Franks to resign, including by then-House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. A source had reached out to Ryan's office about the sexual misconduct allegations. After speaking with that person and verifying their information, Ryan asked Franks to quit.

In 2017, Andrea Lafferty, the then-President of Traditional Values Coalition, an anti-LGBTQ hate group, according to Southern Poverty Law Center, told the AP that she was the one who reported Franks’ conduct to the speaker’s office after one of his aides came to her. The Traditional Values Coalition essentially ceased to exist as of 2018, according to SPLC.

What reason did Trent Franks give for quitting Congress?

Ryan gave Franks an ultimatum, resign and step aside or he would refer the allegations to the House Ethics Committee, whom from there, would begin to formally investigate the allegations made against the Arizona representative.

"... In the midst of this current cultural and media climate, I am deeply convinced I would be unable to complete a fair House Ethics investigation before distorted and sensationalized versions of this story would put me, my family, my staff, and my noble colleagues in the House of Representatives through hyperbolized public excoriation," Franks wrote in his resignation statement. "Rather than allow a sensationalized trial by media damage those things I love most, this morning I notified House leadership that I will be leaving Congress as of January 31st, 2018."

However, Franks changed his mind and immediately resigned from on Dec. 8, 2017.

Franks cited a health concern of his wife's as the reason for leaving sooner than originally planned.

The House Ethics Committee did start a formal investigation into Franks' conduct of sexual harassment and retaliation on Dec. 7, 2017, but it did not continue after Franks resigned.

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What happened after Trent Franks resigned from Congress?

His resignation would lead to a 2018 special election. Lesko eventually won the vacant House seat and has held it ever since.

An opinion piece in the Washington Post claimed later in December 2017 that Franks had rescinded an offer letter for an internship at his office after the 23-year-old woman refused to visit his house one night when his family was away.

After Lesko announced Oct. 17 that she would not be seeing reelection, a flood of Republicans quickly entered the race in the solidly Republican district. Franks is among them.

In his announcement of his intent to run, he briefly mentioned his 2017 resignation, saying that he resigned to "spare those I love most from heavily sensationalized attacks in that unique and difficult time." He did not reference the sexual misconduct allegations directly that ended his first stint in Congress. The Arizona Republic's efforts to contact Franks this week were not successful

Reach reporter Morgan Fischer at morgan.fischer@gannett.com or on X, formally known as Twitter, @morgfisch.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trent Franks resignation: What we know about his scandal in Congress