U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold said he and his entire congressional staff underwent sensitivity and sexual harassment training in 2016 after the congressman was accused of gender discrimination and “sexualized commentary” by two female staffers, the Houston Chronicle reported Friday.

The Corpus Christi Republican has been under pressure since news broke last week that he had used $84,000 in taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by his former communications director.

Farenthold has denied any wrongdoing in any of the cases. However, he agreed to pay back the settlement because he didn’t want taxpayers “on the hook.”



Friday’s news comes a day after members of the U.S. House Ethics Committee unanimously voted to establish a subcommittee to investigate sexual harassment claims against Farenthold. The congressman has said he will fully cooperate with the committee’s investigation.