Court documents show disgraced congressman Blake Farenthold blaming 'f-tards' and the #MeToo movement for his downfall

Susan Walsh/Associated Press

Former Rep. Blake Farenthold.

• Court documents show former Rep. Blake Farenthold's derogatory nickname for the media, which he partly blames for his downfall after a sexual harassment scandal.
• In text messages and emails that are filed as evidence for a lawsuit over his new job, Farenthold refers to the media as "f tards."
• He also places blame on the "deep state," the House Ethics Committee, and the #MeToo Movement for forcing his resignation from Congress after it was revealed he used $84,000 of taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment complaint against him.

The day disgraced Rep. Blake Farenthold stepped down from Congress, court records show, he texted a friend: "The f tards won."

HuffPost reporter Jennifer Bendery obtained 79 pages of court documents that show Farenthold explaining in a deposition he was using "f-tards" as a derogatory nickname for the media, which he partly blames for his downfall after a sexual harassment scandal.

When asked for a synonym "in case the judge or the ladies and gentlemen of the jury have never heard this term before," Farenthold responded "Ass," then amended his answer: "I guess it would be plural, A-S-S-E-S."

In emails and texts he had submitted as part of the case, Farenthold repeatedly used the word "f-tard," the same term a former aide told CNN in 2017 the congressman would regularly use to degrade his staff.

His former spokeswoman accused him of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment. Farenthold used $84,000 of taxpayer money to settle the claim in 2014.

Aside from the media, the documents show Farenthold placing blame on the "deep state," the House Ethics Committee, and the #MeToo Movement for forcing his resignation from Congress.

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