Oregon Democratic Congressman David Wu, accused of an unwanted sexual encounter with a campaign donor's 18-year-old daughter, gave notice of his resignation late on Wednesday.
Representative Wu notified Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and House Speaker John Boehner of his resignation effective at 11:59 p.m.
"Serving as a Congressman has been the greatest honor of my life," Wu said in a statement. "There is no other job where you get up each day and ask, 'How can I try to make the world a better place today?'"
Wu, 56, becomes the latest in a long line of politicians to become caught up in sex scandals over the years, and the second House Democrat since June to have his tenure cut short by such a controversy.
New York Representative Anthony Weiner resigned in June after he admitted lying about sending lewd photos of himself to women over the Internet.
Wu's conduct has been called into question previously. He acknowledged earlier this year he was undergoing psychiatric treatment after his staff complained of erratic behavior, including his e-mailing of a picture of himself dressed in a tiger costume.
The latest allegations against Wu surfaced last month when the Portland Oregonian newspaper reported the daughter of a high school friend who contributed to Wu's campaign accused him of making an unwanted sexual advance around Thanksgiving of last year.
Details of the nature of the alleged encounter have not been disclosed. Wu has not denied the accusation but has acknowledged more than once the allegation was "serious."
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