Rep. Trent Franks says he will resign effective immediately, according to a statement released by his office.
"Last night, my wife was admitted ot the hospital in Washington, D.C. due to an ongoing ailment. After discussing options with my family, we came to the conclusion that the best for our family now would be to tender my previous resignation effective today, December 8th, 2017," the statement read.
Franks announced Thursday that he would resign on Jan. 31. Though Franks did not give a reason for his resignation, CNN reported that it was related to sexual harassment allegations.
#BREAKING: Trent Franks is resigning effective today per release from his office. https://t.co/WMLvHwUyXq #abc15 pic.twitter.com/7prTWFun0O
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) December 8, 2017
An ethics probe related to the sexual harassment allegations has reportedly been opened.
A report by the Associated Press on Friday indicated that Franks pressured a former staff member to be a surrogate mother for he and his wife, at one point offering the staffer $5 million.
Franks represents Arizona's 8th congressional district, which includes north and west Maricopa County, including the city of Glendale.
More on this as it develops.
