State Representative Matt Manweller has announced he will step down after his current term, faced with new allegations of sexual misconduct.
This comes after Republican leaders in the state house called for his resignation, after a report of another allegation of sexual misconduct surfaced last week.
Northwest News Network and Austin Jenkins reported that one of Manweller’s former high school students in Idaho said she has a sexual relationship with him in the 1990s, when she was 17-years-old. Under Idaho state law at the time, sex between an adult male and a girl younger than 18 constituted statutory rape.
Manweller has acknowledged that he taught the woman at a high school in Hailey, Idaho, but denies that he had a sexual relationship with her when she was 17.
Manweller, whose name cannot be removed from the November ballot, said in a statement that it's important he's re-elected so the seat can be filled with another Republican when he resigns, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported.
"The last year has been incredibly difficult for my family," he said in the statement. "Politics can be a very nasty endeavor which we have come to learn that first hand."
"As the Kavanaugh hearings have shown, there is no limit on how far back in time one can go to dig up such allegations," Manweller said in the statement, referring to recent sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Read full statement below
The unnamed woman has said she came forward in part because of his response to an investigation finding Manweller engaged in a pattern of unprofessional and inappropriate behavior at Central Washington University.
The university subsequently fired the political-science professor last month. Manweller, of the Ellensburg area, has vehemently denied the allegations and is suing for wrongful termination.
House Republican leaders on Friday evening called on Manweller to resign.
Manweller has been in the Legislature since 2012 and was assistant floor leader in the House until GOP leaders asked him to step down from that position last year.
He received 63 percent of the vote in last month's primary, well ahead of Democratic candidate Sylvia Hammond. If he is re-elected this November, and then steps down, Republican leaders would then appoint another Republican to fill his seat.
Washington State Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski on Monday called for Manweller to resign immediately and cease his campaign.
"Matt Manweller knows he is in the wrong, she said. "Enough is enough."
Meanwhile, House Republican leader J.T. Wilcox said, "I think he's making the right choice in leaving the legislature."
Full statement from Rep. Matt Manweller:
"Last week, media stories broke about an alleged relationship I had 22 years ago. As the Kavanaugh hearings have shown, there is no limit on how far back in time one can go to dig up such allegations. Since then, many constituents have reached out to me to offer their advice and support.
At this point we are only three weeks away from ballots going to the voters. My name will appear on those ballots regardless of what I decide to do with respect to my campaign and service to the district. I also believe it is important that the 68% of voters who identify as Republicans have someone to vote for.
That being said, today I am announcing that I will serve out the remainder of my term but it is not my intent to serve another term. If I am re-elected, I plan to resign before the session begins or whatever the law requires. For the Republican Party, however, it is important that I am re-elected because the law would require that my seat be filled with another Republican.
The last year has been incredibly difficult for my family. Politics can be a very nasty endeavor which we have come to learn that first hand. Moving forward, I am primarily focused on creating a safe and healthy environment for my family, in particular, my wife and two children.
It has been an honor to serve the 13th District for the past six years."
