Editorial Board

Corpus Christi Caller-Times

At least two Republican congresswomen and plenty of U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold's Democratic constituents have called on him to resign. In fairness to the Corpus Christi Republican, who continues to deny that he sexually harassed any of his employees, we ask only this:

Remember, Congressman, the conservative principles and the change you promised when you first were elected in 2010.

We recall the core of those principles to be small government, fiscal responsibility and open, honest communication with your constituents.

You deny that you sexually harassed an aide who sued you in 2014. An investigation found no evidence that you did. That much, you shared.

But your constituents didn't find out until two weeks ago that your accuser was paid an $84,000 settlement in 2015, and that tax money was used to pay it. And they didn't find it out from you.

It came as quite a surprise to the people who elected you. It's not what you led them to expect of you.

You say you were bound by law not to disclose the settlement. Far be it for us to suggest that you break the law.

But there was no law against refusing to settle, nor was there a law against refusing to let taxpayers cover it. You were consistent in demanding the truth of Obama administration officials. Yet you didn't seek justice for what you still maintain to be the truth about you.

Paying someone you claim to be a false accuser should have been unacceptable to you, much less using tax money to do it. According to your own espoused principles, the settlement proposal should have been too egregious a wrong against you and the taxpayers for you to accept, or for you not to expose as yet another example of Washington corruption.

We recognize that this would not have been pragmatic or expedient. We haven't forgotten that you showed enough fortitude be dogmatic rather than pragmatic when it came to protecting Corpus Christi Army Depot. Unlike most of your colleagues on both sides of the aisle, you couldn't bring yourself to vote against privatization efforts. You took heat for it from us and other constituents.

But when it came to saving your own skin, you were pragmatic rather than dogmatic. You chose a course that makes you exactly what you promised you wouldn't be and what the people who elected you didn't want.

You have promised to reimburse the $84,000. But you did that only after its public disclosure, leaving us taxpayers to wonder what you would have done if we had remained none the wiser.

The settlement wasn't the only thing you kept from us. You also neglected to disclose that your office underwent sexual harassment training last year after two more women complained. You confirmed it only after the Houston Chronicle confronted you with it. We can only conclude from your conduct, fairly and impartially, that you'd have continued to keep it under wraps had the Chronicle not dug it up. This is not the open, honest relationship you promised constituents. This is looking out for Number One.

As you know, some of your colleagues on both sides of the aisle resigned recently after harassment accusations against them came to light. They drained themselves from the swamp. It was not their initial plan.

You could do the same. It's not as if Republican conservatism would suffer if you withdrew. You already have primary opponents with strong conservative resumes. And District 27 is drawn to guarantee that one of them, if not you, will be elected.

You have a luxury compartment on the gravy train you attacked to get yourself elected. That's a lot to give up. But it would be the forthright, conservative thing to do.