A Pennsylvania politician resigned his post in the state House Of Representatives on Monday, days after a woman lodged a complaint with the state’s Republican caucus alleging that he sexually assaulted her in 2015 when she was blacked out.
“It is with immense gratitude to the sacrifices made by my family, the support of my constituents, and the friendship of my colleagues that I have concluded that it is in the best interest of my family, the residents of the 11th House district, and my own health that I resign from the General Assembly,” State Rep. Brian Ellis wrote in his resignation letter submitted on Monday.

Ellis, a 49-year-old Republican from Butler County resigned after House Republicans in January called on him to step down when the Dauphin County district attorney began to investigate allegations that he had sex with a woman without her consent in October 2015, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“It truly has been a new day for survivors,” the victim’s lawyer, Christine Wechsler said.
“This is an acknowledgment of the credibility of the allegation,” adding that her client feels “vindicated” after hearing of Ellis’ resignation from public office.
The woman wrote in her complaint that on the evening of Oct. 27, 2015, the complaint indicates she was with a friend at Carley’s, a Harrisburg restaurant, believes she had fewer than two drinks, and then “was in a state of blackout.” She wrote that she woke up in Ellis’ bed the next morning, naked and in pain.

When she confronted Ellis, he told her they had sex, and she believes was raped, according to a formal complaint she addressed to an attorney representing the state’s GOP caucus and its members on the Ethics Committee on March 12.
The five-page complaint was obtained by numerous local outlets and published online.
The woman states that when she woke up and confronted Ellis, a married Republican from Butler County, he told her they had sex but that she believes she was raped, according to the complaint.
Up to that night, she describes that her experiences with Ellis consisted of “socializing” on less than a dozen professional and networking occasions, according to the complaint.
However, during those interactions, Ellis “repeatedly injected sexual innuendo into the conversation” and “explicitly” made his sexual interest in her known.”

She said that each time this occurred, she made it “abundantly clear” that his feelings were not reciprocated..
The woman said the reason she did not immediately report the incident was because of fear of professional and personal retaliation. Her attorney said that she works for the Pennsylvania state government but not directly for Ellis.
“I felt powerless,” she said in her complaint. The woman said the reason she came forward now is that the state’s House of Representatives recently created a process to work through sexual assault complaints.
“I realize I am strong enough to help ensure that the House of Representatives rids itself of a member who is not deserving of the public’s trust,” she said.
The state’s Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm, who is working with the woman, said on Friday that the woman was not voluntarily intoxicated the night of the alleged assault but rather incapacitated by a drug.