U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy resigns amid scandal, GOP state legislators to run for his seat

Beaver County Times (PA)

Oct. 06--U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy on Thursday resigned his seat effective Oct. 21 amid a scandal involving an extramarital affair and, most damaging to the anti-abortion lawmaker, texts showing he urged his married mistress to consider an abortion.

"It was Dr. Murphy's decision to move on to the next chapter of his life, and I support it," said House Speaker Paul Ryan in a statement released later Thursday afternoon.

The resignation triggers the need for a special election for a seat that has already drawn widespread interest from Republicans and Democrats. A special election is certain to draw national attention, as others have, with it considered a referendum on President Donald Trump in a district considered favorable for Republican candidates.

Murphy's lightning quick fall came after the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette broke the story earlier this week about the eight-term congressman and anti-abortion advocate urging his mistress to have an abortion when they thought she might be pregnant.

At first, he announced he would not seek re-election next year, but rumors of his immediate resignation began swirling Thursday before Ryan's statement. Murphy's office did not respond to questions.

Murphy, a psychologist, has championed mental health issues and reform, highlighted by his signature Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, which was incorporated into other legislation and approved by Congress last year.

Republican state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler quickly jumped into the race for Murphy's 18th Congressional District seat by announcing his candidacy just hours after Murphy said Wednesday that he would not run for re-election.

"We need leaders in Washington with the backbone to fight for our shared western Pennsylvania values and we need Republicans in Congress who will fight for conservative principles," Reschenthaler, R-37, Jefferson Hills, said in a statement. "That is why I am running for Congress."

Reschenthaler, 34, is in the first year of his first full-term in the state Senate following his victory last November, which came after he won a special election in November 2015 to finish the term of former Democratic state Sen. Matt Smith, who had resigned.

The 37th Senatorial District covers western Allegheny County, including Moon and Crescent townships, Sewickley, Findlay Township, North Fayette Township, Leetsdale, Leet Township, Emsworth, Edgeworth and Robinson Township, and Peters Township in Washington County.

Reschenthaler did not respond to a request for comment made to a campaign spokesman.

Murphy, an Upper St. Clair Township resident, announced Wednesday afternoon that he would not seek re-election in the wake of several reports by the Post-Gazette. The paper initially reported last month that Murphy was named in a divorce case as having an affair with a female friend who is also a psychologist.

Murphy admitted to the affair after the Post-Gazette won a court victory unsealing the case records. He resigned from the Navy Reserve last month.

Then earlier this week, the Post-Gazette cited text messages in court documents that alluded to Murphy, who has been a consistent vote against abortion, suggesting to the woman that she consider an abortion although she turned out not be pregnant.

Other documents, the paper reported, portrayed Murphy as a volatile boss who verbally abused staffers.

"In the coming weeks, I will take personal time to seek help as my family and I continue to work through our personal difficulties and seek healing," Murphy said in the statement announcing his decision. "I ask you to respect our privacy during this time."

The 18th Congressional District covers Allegheny County, including Moon, Crescent, Leet, Leetsdale, Findlay and North Fayette, as well as parts of Washington, Greene and Westmoreland counties.

State Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County, has said that he would consider running for the seat even though he is currently a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2018 U.S. Senate race.

A campaign aide for Saccone did not respond to an email Thursday seeking an update on Saccone's status.

And, state Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, said Thursday that she would run for the seat.

"People are sick of being disappointed by Washington," Ward said in a statement. "They want Congress to keep the promise to replace Obamacare with a plan that helps to make affordable healthcare accessible, achieve much-needed tax reform and protect our borders. They deserve action and they can trust me to go to Washington, D.C. and give it all I've got."

According to Federal Election Commission records, three Allegheny County Democrats filed to challenge Murphy before his resignation, including former Allegheny County Councilman and former Pennsylvania State Education Association leader Mike Crossey; Pam Iovino, a retired Navy officer and former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs official; and Dr. Bob Solomon.

Before running for office, Reschenthaler, an attorney, was a district judge who also served in the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps, prosecuting terrorists in Iraq. He has supported anti-abortion measures in the state Senate, including a bill limiting elective abortions to 20 weeks, similar to legislation that Murphy voted for in the U.S. House this week.

Additionally, Reschenthaler has introduced bills increasing penalties for threatening law-enforcement officers and empowering social service workers and animal control officers to report suspected child or animal abuse because of the overlap he saw among defendants at the district judge level.

Reschenthaler told The Times last year that he has a "holistic view" of judicial reform, especially when it comes to those dealing with mental health issues and substance abuse, and that he also wanted to address college loan reform and reducing school truancy.

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