New York Congressman Reed Quits Effective Immediately

The time on Capitol Hill for one Southern Tier Congressman is ending even earlier than had been anticipated.

New York Congressman Tom Reed had said he would not be back in the House for another term but now has left office more than seven months before the end of his term.

Reed said last year that he would not seek reelection after he was accused of sexual misconduct but he announced in a speech on the floor of the U.S. House on Tuesday, May 10 that it was his last day in the House.

He did not give a reason for his resignation but said there is more to do to put “people before politics.”

The Republican was accused of rubbing a female lobbyist’s back and unhooking her bra, without her consent. Reed apologized days after the allegations were reported in March 2021 and said the incident occurred at a time in which he said he was “struggling” and entered treatment after realizing he was “powerless over alcohol.”

The former Mayor of Corning, who was first elected to Congress in 2010, had said earlier in 2021 that he was considering a run for New York governor should Democrat Andrew Cuomo run again. Of course, Cuomo is not running, having resigned last year over sexual misconduct allegations.

Reed, when issuing his apology last year, said he would not run for any office in 2022.

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Reed is the second New York Republican who voted to impeach former president Donald Trump who is not planning to run again this year. Congressman John Katko of Syracuse announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection.

Democrat Congressman Antonio Delgado has also stepped down as he was named by Governor Kathy Hochul as the new Lieutenant Governor following the resignation of Brian Benjamin over corruption allegations.  Delgado this week announced the start of his campaign to run for a full term as Lieutenant Governor.

Reed reportedly plans to start working for Prime Policy, a D.C. lobbying group following a required one-year “cooling off period.”

New York will have to hold special elections to fill the Reed and Delgado’s vacant Congressional seats.