Going further back, Wu sought psychiatric help early this year after sending bizarre emails to his staffers, including a picture of himself in a tiger costume. A number of his staff members left their posts after Wu was re-elected in 2010.
Wu has not denied the latest accusations, which were brought to light after the alleged victim called Wu's Portland office and left a message detailing the encounter. The Oregonian picked up the story and brought the situation to the public's attention, however, no criminal charges have been pursued.
According to Wu, he had no choice but to resign in the face of the serious allegations against him. ''Serving as a United States Congressman has been the greatest honor of my life. There is no other job where you could get up every morning and ask ‘How can I try to make the world a better place today.' However great the honor and engaging the work, there comes a time to hand on the privilege of office. That time has come,'' Wu wrote in his resignation letter. However, due to past and recent events, it is unlikely that Wu will be remembered for his attempts to ''make the world a better place.''
Already a handful of candidates have announced plans to run for Wu's seat, including Rob Cornilles, the Republican candidate who ran against Wu in the 2010 election. Democratic candidates include the Commissioner of the State Bureau of Labor and Industries, Brad Avakian, and state Republican Brad Witt. State Senator Suzanne Bonamici has also entered the race last week.
Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has established November 8th as the primary election date, which will be followed by the general election on January 31, 2012.
