New York Republican Tom Reed Resigns on House Floor

Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY), a moderate Republican who had announced his retirement after apologizing for sexual misconduct with a lobbyist, announced on Tuesday he would resign immediately.

“After almost 12 years in Congress, today is my last day,” Reed said on the House floor.

“It is time for petty political posturing to end. Leadership must emerge,” Reed said. The New York Republican’s office said he would be joining the Prime Policy Group, a lobbying firm.

Reed had briefly considered a bid to run for governor of New York before being accused of sexually harassing an Aflac lobbyist in March of last year. He subsequently apologized for the incident and then said he would not run for governor and not run for reelection.

“I am sorry, and take full responsibility. I further apologize to my wife and kids, my family, the people of the 23rd District, my colleagues, and those who have supported me for the harm this caused them,” Reed said.

He said in a statement announcing his resignation that he had been struggling with addiction and was “powerless over alcohol.”

The House Ethics Committee announced they had opened an investigation into Reed’s sexual misconduct.

Many of Reed’s policies aligned with Democrats during this congressional term.

Reed joined Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in cosponsoring the Equality Act to ensure “sexual orientation and gender identity are included among protected classes — without protection for religious objections.”

Reed along with Reps. Young Kim (R-CA), Fred Upton (R-MI), John Curtis (R-UT), Peter Meijer (R-MI), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced a resolution to censure then-President Donald Trump for trying to prevent the certification of the 2020 elections and allegedly inciting rioters during the January 6 protests.

Reps. Reed, John Katko (R-NY), Don Bacon (R-NE), Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ), Fred Upton (R-MI), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Don Young (R-AK), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), and Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) also gave Democrats the votes necessary to pass the $1.2 trillion so-called bipartisan infrastructure bill, otherwise known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Reed’s vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill also saved the progressive “Squad” from voting for the legislation.