Oregon Democrat David Wu, M '81, will resign from the House of Representatives, the New York Times reports, after being accused of engaging in unwanted sexual activity with the 18-year-old daughter of a campaign contributor. Wu, the first Chinese American to serve in the House, announced on Monday that he would not seek re-election. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, has referred the matter to the House Ethics Committee, and as a result, both of his home state’s Democratic senators called on July 26 for his resignation.
"The time has come to hand on the privilege of high office. I cannot care for my family the way I wish while serving in Congress and fighting these very serious allegations," Wu said in a four-paragraph statement, adding, "This is the right decision for my family, the institution of the House, and my colleagues.”
He said that he intended to resign effective upon the resolution of the debt-ceiling crisis. His departure reduces to 30 the number of Harvard matriculants in the 112th Congress: three Republicans and nine Democrats in the Senate; two Republicans and 16 Democrats in the House.
