By Charles Pope, Janie Har and Beth Slovic
A distraught young woman called Oregon Rep. David Wu's Portland office this spring, accusing him of an unwanted sexual encounter, according to multiple sources.
When confronted, Wu acknowledged a sexual encounter to his senior aides but insisted it was consensual, the sources said.
The woman is the daughter of a longtime friend and campaign donor. She apparently did not contact police at the time.
One person who heard the voice mail described the woman as upset, breathing heavily and "distraught."
In the voice mail, the young woman accused Wu of aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior, according to sources with direct knowledge of the message and its contents.
Reporters could not verify the young woman's age. Notes on Facebook over the last 18 months indicate she graduated from high school in 2010. California records show she registered to vote last August.
Wu, 56, has not responded to repeated questions from The Oregonian over the last four days.
Mid-day Friday, a reporter emailed Wu's spokesman, Erik Dorey, with this question: "Is Rep. David Wu denying that he had sexual contact with the daughter of a high school friend over Thanksgiving 2010 in Orange County, California? Yes or no?"
Dorey responded by asking for more time to answer the question. Neither Dorey nor anyone else in Wu's office had responded by Friday evening.
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The Oregonian’s continuing coverage of David Wu in Congress.
Sources familiar with the voice mail said it was clear that the woman was the daughter of a high school friend of Wu's in Orange County. The Oregonian does not use the names of victims of sexual assault without their permission. In this case, the newspaper is withholding some details of the family that might identify them.
The young woman, her mother and father declined to speak to a reporter outside their home on Friday.
The family said through an attorney that "they are not interested in talking to" the press. The attorney, David Swanson, is an Orange County lawyer who specializes in criminal law, according to his website.
Sources who talked to The Oregonian agreed to speak only on condition they not be named. They offered information about the incident independently and each had direct knowledge of its details.
Two people with knowledge of the recording and the later conversation with Wu said the incident took place over Thanksgiving weekend. Sources said they were told that the woman went outside and Wu left after her. The sexual encounter followed.
Originally Posted by Rockntractor
