A six-term Republican congressman from western New York says he won’t run for re-election after an accusation that he acted inappropriately with a female lobbyist back in 2017. This came just two days after The Washington Post reported that Nicolette Davis, a lobbyist, was accusing Rep. Tom Reed of “sexual misconduct.” The newspaper writes that the 25-year-old texted a friend “A drunk congressman is rubbing my back.”
Reed, his hand outside her blouse, briefly fumbled with her bra before unhooking it by pinching the clasp, Davis told The Post. He moved his hand to her thigh, inching upward, she said.
Frozen in fear, she said, she asked the person sitting to her right for help. He obliged by pulling the congressman away from the table and out of the restaurant, Davis said.
When the report surfaced on Friday, Reed initially said “This account of my actions is not accurate,” but then Sunday he issued an apology and said he would not be running for any office in 2022. That includes the New York governor’s race where he was considering a run against Andrew Cuomo. The AP writes:
Reed, who was first elected to Congress in 2010, had been among the members of Congress calling for the resignation of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo over sexual harassment allegations.
My statement— pic.twitter.com/WCyvxjjZo5
— Tom Reed (@TomReedCongress) March 21, 2021
Watch more from the NBC affiliate in Buffalo, New York above.