GOP Rep. Won't seek reelection

Rep. Meehan won't seek reelection

By ALEX ISENSTADT

Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Pat Meehan will not seek reelection this year, after revelations that he used taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment case involving a former staffer.

Meehan’s decision came days after The New York Times reported that the former aide had accused him of making unwanted romantic advances and that he settled the case with the staffer by paying her out of a member’s allowance fund.

During media interviews this week, the congressman denied that he sexually harassed the woman and vowed to run for reelection. He said the woman, whom he called his "soul mate," invited his communications.

The Republican lawmaker from suburban Philadelphia was first elected in 2010 as part of the GOP’s House takeover.

NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers said in a statement that he was “disappointed by the circumstances leading to Congressman Meehan’s retirement,” adding, “We must always hold ourselves to the highest possible standard — especially while serving in Congress.”

Stivers said he was confident voters will elect a conservative to replace Meehan.

Prior to Meehan’s decision to retire, several Democrats had entered the race, including attorney Shelly Chauncey, real estate broker Elizabeth Moro and former congressional aide Dan Muroff.

Meehan’s suburban Philadelphia District, as currently constructed, leans Republican. But the state Supreme Court has ordered the state to redraw its congressional map by mid-February — ruling earlier this week that the current map, which has been in place since 2012, violates the commonwealth’s constitution.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature, which has to draw a more competitive map, could choose to sacrifice Meehan’s district to satisfy the court order. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf would have to approve any new map, however, and it’s unclear whether the parties can agree on a new plan.

If Wolf and the legislature can’t agree on a map by mid-February, the state Supreme Court has said it would impose new maps itself — maps that likely wouldn’t take incumbency into account.

Republicans in the state Legislature filed an application with the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to stay the state Supreme Court’s ruling and allow the 2018 elections to proceed under the existing maps.