ABORTION/HOUSE OF REPS/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Embattled Rep. Tim Murphy is weighing his political future as pressure mounts on the Pennsylvania Republican to resign.
Murphy met privately with Speaker Paul Ryan Wednesday [10-4-17], according to GOP sources. Numerous top Republicans want Murphy to step down amid a report that the married, anti-abortion congressman suggested his mistress terminate an apparent pregnancy.
Murphy, who represents a district in southwestern Pennsylvania, admitted several weeks ago to an affair with forensic psychologist Shannon Edwards — news that came to light during the woman’s divorce proceedings with her husband. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Tuesday that Murphy suggested Edwards get an abortion during a pregnancy scare, citing leaked text messages between the two…
Edwards was responding to a Facebook post by Murphy touting his anti-abortion position in Congress. Murphy is a member of the House Pro-Life Caucus and voted Tuesday for legislation to ban abortions after 20 weeks.
The story also highlighted a toxic work environment in Murphy’s office, citing a June 8 memo in which his chief of staff, Susan Mosychuk, warned Murphy about mistreating staff. The document, titled ‘Office Conduct and Behavior: Harassment/Legal Compliance,’ suggests there was a ‘pattern of sustained inappropriate behavior.’
Mosychuck wrote that the office has experienced 100 percent staff turnover over the past several years and attributed it to the congressman’s behavior. She said he often worked staff through the weekends, only to berate them for failing to meet expectations.”
-Rachel Bade, Elena Schneider, and John Bresnahan, “Abortion scandal puts GOP congressman on the ropes,” Politico, Oct. 4, 2017 02:44pm