Oregon Dem Wu Accused of Sex Assault

Young woman accused rep of unwanted sexual encounter
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 23, 2011 6:39 AM CDT
Oregon Congressman David Wu Accused of Unwanted Sexual Encounter
In this image taken Oct. 2, 2010, Rep. David Wu in a tiger costume. The Oregon rep says that he accepted prescription drugs from a campaign donor around the time when staffers complained of his erratic behavior.   (AP Photo/Willamette Week)

It's been almost two months since a House Democrat got into sex-related trouble, so Oregon's David Wu—he of mentally unstable, tiger-suited fame—is again making headlines. A young woman is accusing the rep of an unwanted sexual encounter, which she says took place last Thanksgiving. The woman, whom the Oregonian says is the daughter of a "longtime friend and campaign donor" and a 2010 high school graduate, left a voicemail at Wu's Oregon office this spring accusing him of aggressive sexual behavior.

When staffers confronted Wu, he acknowledged the incident, but insisted it was consensual. He's been dodging the Oregonian for five days, but last night issued a terse response: "This is very serious, and I have absolutely no desire to bring unwanted publicity, attention, or stress to a young woman and her family." A lawyer for the woman and her parents yesterday told a reporter "they are not interested in talking;" sources tell the paper they believe there's not sufficient evidence to press charges. The Oregonian in 2004 reported that a college girlfriend accused Wu of attempted rape. (More David Wu stories.)

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