A day after Republican Rep. Trent Franks announced he would resign early next year, he abruptly stepped down Friday after a former aide told the Associated Press that he had offered her $5 million to act as a surrogate mother. Ryan told Franks that he would refer allegations against him to the Ethics Committee and urged him to step aside. The Associated Press verified the identity of the staffer and confirmed that she worked in Franks’ office. She said she spoke to another aide in the office, who had also been approached about surrogacy. A spokesman for Franks would not comment on whether the congressman offered aides money to act as surrogates.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 09, 2017 23:17 UTC