Former Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, who left Congress amid sexual harassment allegations, has died. He was 63.
He died in a Corpus Christi hospital and suffered heart and liver problems in recent years, Steve Ray, his former longtime political consultant, said. Farenthold’s wife, Debbie Farenthold, confirmed that he died Friday.
Blake Farenthold was elected in 2010, upsetting long-serving Democratic U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz. Seven years later, Farenthold announced that he wouldn’t seek reelection.
In a video he posted on his campaign’s Facebook page at the time, he denied a former aide’s three-year-old accusations, which included that he’d subjected her to sexually suggestive comments and behavior and then fired her after she complained. He apologized for an office atmosphere he said included “destructive gossip, offhand comments, off-color jokes and behavior that in general was less than professional.”
He said in the video that if he stayed in Congress, he would have spent months trying to vindicate himself.
“We all make mistakes,” Ray said Saturday. “He made some mistakes.”
Ray described him as a “techie” who was interested in the internet and technology before getting involved in politics.
“He did a tremendous job as congressman for this area,” Ray said, noting that Farenthold cared about fighting crime and promoting transparency. “His heart was really always in the right place.”
Before becoming a congressman, Farenthold was a sidekick for a conservative radio talk show host, Ray said.
“When he decided to run, nobody in the world thought he was going to win,” Ray said.
When he left office, Farenthold started his own radio show, which he continued until he died.
In addition to his wife, Farenthold is survived by two adult daughters, Morgan Baucum and Amanda Lawrence, Ray said.