Pelosi Seeks Ethics Investigation of Wu’s Conduct
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR
Democratic leaders in the House have called for an immediate ethics investigation into allegations that Representative David Wu, a Democrat from Oregon, engaged in unwanted sexual activity with a teenage daughter of a donor.
The allegations arose in a newspaper article in the Oregonian , which reported that a distraught young woman left a voicemail message at Mr. Wu’s Portland office accusing him of what the newspaper described as “aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior.”
Ms. Pelosi called for an investigation late Sunday night, saying: “With deep disappointment and sadness about this situation, I hope that the Ethics Committee will take up this matter.”
In a letter to the House ethics committee on Monday, Ms. Pelosi noted the press report and said an investigation “is warranted” to determine whether he “engaged in inappropriate activities.”
Mr. Wu could not be reached for comment. Messages left with his communications director in Washington were not returned.
The Oregonian quoted Mr. Wu as saying in a statement that ”This is very serious, and I have absolutely no desire to bring unwanted publicity, attention, or stress to a young woman and her family.”
The allegations are just the latest to question Mr. Wu’s fitness for office. Earlier this year, several of the congressman’s staff members resigned after they said he began acting erratically and sent emails to them, including one of himself dressed in a tiger suit.
That led to a public apology from Mr. Wu, a seven-term member of Congress, who blamed his actions on a difficult divorce from his wife late last year.
“This was a very difficult time in my life,” Wu told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning, America” in February. “Last October was not a good month. It was very stressful. I did some things; I said some things which I sincerely regret now.”
The Oregonian did not reveal the identity of the young woman who has accused Mr. Wu, and said her age was uncertain but that she had graduated from high school and had registered to vote this summer. They described her as “the daughter of a longtime friend and campaign donor.”
The paper wrote that “One person who heard the voice mail described the woman as upset, breathing heavily and ‘distraught.’ In the voice mail, the young woman accused Wu of aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior.”
Politico reported Monday that an unnamed adviser to Mr. Wu said the congressman will not run for reelection in the wake of the latest scandal, but will not resign from office immediately.
“He hasn’t done anything that rises to the level of requiring him to resign,” the unnamed adviser told Politico.
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR
Democratic leaders in the House have called for an immediate ethics investigation into allegations that Representative David Wu, a Democrat from Oregon, engaged in unwanted sexual activity with a teenage daughter of a donor.
The allegations arose in a newspaper article in the Oregonian , which reported that a distraught young woman left a voicemail message at Mr. Wu’s Portland office accusing him of what the newspaper described as “aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior.”
Ms. Pelosi called for an investigation late Sunday night, saying: “With deep disappointment and sadness about this situation, I hope that the Ethics Committee will take up this matter.”
In a letter to the House ethics committee on Monday, Ms. Pelosi noted the press report and said an investigation “is warranted” to determine whether he “engaged in inappropriate activities.”
Mr. Wu could not be reached for comment. Messages left with his communications director in Washington were not returned.
The Oregonian quoted Mr. Wu as saying in a statement that ”This is very serious, and I have absolutely no desire to bring unwanted publicity, attention, or stress to a young woman and her family.”
The allegations are just the latest to question Mr. Wu’s fitness for office. Earlier this year, several of the congressman’s staff members resigned after they said he began acting erratically and sent emails to them, including one of himself dressed in a tiger suit.
That led to a public apology from Mr. Wu, a seven-term member of Congress, who blamed his actions on a difficult divorce from his wife late last year.
“This was a very difficult time in my life,” Wu told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning, America” in February. “Last October was not a good month. It was very stressful. I did some things; I said some things which I sincerely regret now.”
The Oregonian did not reveal the identity of the young woman who has accused Mr. Wu, and said her age was uncertain but that she had graduated from high school and had registered to vote this summer. They described her as “the daughter of a longtime friend and campaign donor.”
The paper wrote that “One person who heard the voice mail described the woman as upset, breathing heavily and ‘distraught.’ In the voice mail, the young woman accused Wu of aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior.”
Politico reported Monday that an unnamed adviser to Mr. Wu said the congressman will not run for reelection in the wake of the latest scandal, but will not resign from office immediately.
“He hasn’t done anything that rises to the level of requiring him to resign,” the unnamed adviser told Politico.
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