Andrea Ramsey was asked by the Kansas City Star about a lawsuit regarding accusations of sexually harassing and retaliating against a male subordinate, Gary Funkhouser, who said he rejected her sexual advances in 2005

A female Democrat running for Congress in Kansas is dropping out of the race after allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2005 lawsuit resurfaced during a recent interview.

Mother-of-two Andrea Ramsey was asked by the Kansas City Star about a lawsuit regarding accusations of sexually harassing and retaliating against a male subordinate, Gary Funkhouser, who said he rejected her sexual advances in 2005.

Court Documents show that Funkhouser and LabOne, a company where Ramsey was executive vice president of human resources, agreed to dismiss the case after mediation in 2006, according to the Star.

Ramsey, from Leawood, Kansas, was one of a number of Democrats planning to challenge Republican Representative Kevin Yoder in the 2018 race in Kansas' Third District.

The 56-year-old had received an endorsement from the left-wing women's group Emily's List, which has raised more than $500,000 for female candidates supporting abortion rights across the country.

But now Ramsey's campaign says she will announce that she is dropping out on Friday.

Court Documents show that Funkhouser and LabOne, a company where Ramsey was executive vice president of human resources, agreed to dismiss the case after mediation in 2006, according to the Star

The mother-of-two was accused of firing Funkhouser because he refused to have sex with her. Now, 12 years later, Ramsey's campaign says she will announce that she is dropping out on Friday. She is pictured with Tim Kaine and her husband

'In its rush to claim the high ground in our rolling national conversation about harassment, the Democratic Party has implemented a zero tolerance standard' Ramsey said in a statement posted to her campaign's Facebook page Friday.

'For me, that means a vindictive, terminated employee's false allegations are enough for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) to decide not to support our promising campaign.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in a statement that all members and candidates have to be held to the highest standard, according to the paper. Emily's List also said they support Ramsey's decision to drop out of the race

'We are in a national moment where rough justice stands in place of careful analysis, nuance and due process.'

The DCCC hasn't endorsed a candidate in the race yet, and said in a statement that all members and candidates have to be held to the highest standard, according to the paper.

'If anyone is guilty of sexual harassment or sexual assault, that person should not hold public office,' committee spokeswoman Meredith Kelly told the Star. Emily's List also said they support Ramsey's decision to drop out of the race.

Ramsey was not a party in the 2005 lawsuit or settlement, but is referred to throughout court papers by her maiden name Andrea Thomas.

She denied the allegations to the Star in multiple interviews, and has said the lawsuit is only resurfacing for political reasons. Ramsey also denied the allegations in her statement, posted to her Facebook page.

'Twelve years ago, I eliminated an employee’s position. That man decided to bring a lawsuit against the company (not against me),' she wrote.

'He named me in the allegations, claiming I fired him because he refused to have sex with me. That is a lie.

'The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigated the allegations and decided not to pursue the complaint; the man later decided to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit. Because I wasn’t a named party, I didn’t have any opportunity to participate in its resolution.'

Ramsey emphasized that she's not aware of any settlements made in the case, but said that if she'd been one of the named parties she would have opposed a settlement.

'Had those allegations, those false allegations, been brought against me directly, I would have fought to exonerate my name. I never would’ve settled,' Ramsey wrote in Friday's.

'I would have sued the disgruntled, vindictive employee for defamation.'

Ramsey was not a party in the 2005 lawsuit or settlement, but is referred to throughout court papers by her maiden name Andrea Thomas. She denied the allegations to the Star in multiple interviews, and has said the lawsuit is only resurfacing for political reasons. Ramsey also denied the allegations in her statement, posted to her Facebook page

Ramsey (pictured with her husband) emphasized that she's not aware of any settlements made in the case, but said that if she'd been one of the named parties she would have opposed a settlement

Superiors aren't named as defendants in federal sexual harassment or discrimination lawsuits because under Title VII they are not considered employers.

Title VII is the law that protects employees from discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on race, color, gender or nationality.

The allegations were outlined in a lawsuit filed by Funkhouser against LabOne, and in a complaint to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the Star.

In the EOCC Complaint Funkhouser said Ramsey subjected him to 'unwelcome and inappropriate sexual comments and innuendos.' He said the inappropriate behavior started in September 2004 when he was working as a human resources manager at LabOne.

He also alleges that in March 2005 Ramsey made sexual advances towards him while they were on a business trip.

Funkhouser claims that when he wouldn't have sex with her, she started treating him differently.

'In the office she completely ignored me and avoided having any contact with me,' he alleges in the lawsuit.

He said she even went so far as to move him from his office and into a cubicle far away from her office.

Funkhouser said that before he rejected her he got outstanding performance reviews, but that things changed after the March incident.

'After I rejected her, she told me how she was hearing bad things about my performance and on June 13, 2005, terminated my employment,' he alleges.

The EEOC closed its file on Funkhouser's charges in October 2005 and noted that the investigation couldn't determine whether any statutes had been violated, according to the Star.

But the document did inform Funkhouser that he had a right to sue the company, which he did in federal court.

LabOne denied those allegations and said the employee's firing was 'non-discriminatory and non-retaliatory.'

In a recent interview Ramsey told the Star she fired Funkhouser because of his management skills.

'It became clear to me that he wasn't managing his subordinates adequately,' she explained.

'He didn't have open lines of communication with his subordinates and furthermore there was this additional layer of management.'

She also told the paper that she doesn't remember the business trip, noting that it was 12 years ago.

The federal lawsuit against LabOne was till pending in April 2006 when Ramsey retired from the company. She said she retired because she didn't want to work for such a big company and wanted to spend more time with her children.

In July 2006 LabOne and Funkhouser dismissed the case without the possibility of bringing it up again, instead reaching a settlement.