| State house | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| District | 163rd |
| Term start | January 1, 2019 |
| Term end | March 16, 2023 |
| Predecessor | Jamie Santora |
| Successor | Heather Boyd |
| Birth date | January 16, 1979 (age 47) |
| Birth place | Delaware County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | St. Joseph's Preparatory School |
| Education | College of the Holy Cross (BA) University of Indiana (MA) Temple University (JD) |
| Spouse | Lauren |
Michael Patrick Zabel[1] (born January 16, 1979) is a former American politician. He served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 163rd district from 2019 to 2023.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In 2018, Zabel, a first-time candidate and former assistant district attorney in Philadelphia, defeated Republican incumbent Jamie Santora to represent the 163rd district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Zabel's victory marked the first time a Democrat represented the seat in 40 years.[2] He would be re-elected twice.
In March 2023, a union lobbyist's accusations of Zabel sexually harassing her in 2019 were made public.[3] After the first accusation, two more allegations emerged against Zabel. Previously in 2018, Zabel's campaign manager accused him of inappropriately touching her. At the time, she reported it to an unnamed Democratic Party leader, but had not gone public. The same day the campaign manager's allegations were made public, State Representative Abby Major also said she was followed to her car by an intoxicated Zabel after rejecting his advances in November 2022.[4] Zabel initially resisted calls to resign because of the allegations and said he would seek treatment for his "illness."[5] He later reversed his earlier statement and announced he would resign from office effective March 16, 2023.[6]
References
- ^ "Mike Zabel". Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Cole, John (November 7, 2018). "Dems Net 11 State House Seats". PoliticsPA. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Caruso, Stephen (March 1, 2023). "Lobbyist says she was sexually harassed by Pa. lawmaker Mike Zabel, calls on him to resign". Spotlight PA. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ McGoldrick, Gillian (March 3, 2023). "A Delco House Democrat was accused of sexual misconduct. Here's what you should know.". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Spotlight PA Staff (March 3, 2023). "Pa. lawmaker accused of sexual harassment says he won't resign, will seek treatment for 'illness'". Spotlight PA. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ^ Caruso, Stephen (2023-03-08). "PA lawmaker accused of sexual harassment will resign". Spotlight PA. Retrieved 2023-03-08.