CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – A Republican lawmaker who was criticized for creating a misogynistic online forum resigned Wednesday, citing concerns for the safety of his loved ones and himself.
The resignation of Rep. Robert Fisher of Laconia came shortly after his Republican colleagues voted to recommend the full House take no action against him and after Democrats said they would ask the attorney general to investigate him.
Fisher had come under fire after a recent article on The Daily Beast revealed him as the creator of a Reddit forum called “The Red Pill,” which bills itself as a discussion of sexual strategies for men and includes a post in which users debate whether “every woman wants to be attractive enough to be raped.”
He resigned less than an hour after a Republican-led committee voted 8-6 along party lines to recommend that the full House take no action against him.
“Unfortunately, the falsehoods, lies and comments of an overzealous blogger and some of my colleagues have created a situation where I must genuinely consider the safety and wellbeing of my girlfriend, my family, and myself,” he said in an email. “I’m happy that the House committee stood firm for free speech today, it is with a heavy heart that I will be unable to complete my term.”