A Delco House Democrat will resign after accusations of sexual harassment. Here’s what you should know.

A Democratic state representative from Delaware County will resign later this month, after at least three people — including a female lawmaker and a top lobbyist — accused him of sexual harassment.

Rep. Mike Zabel (D., Delaware) allegedly sexually harassed three of his peers on three different occasions, the first report dating back to 2019.

Just hours after a female GOP lawmaker publicly accused Zabel of sexual harassment at an International Women’s Day press conference, Zabel sent his letter of resignation to House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia) on Wednesday afternoon.

Here’s what to know:

Zabel represents portions of Delaware County, including parts of Upper Darby, Darby Township, and the Drexel Hill area. He has represented the 163rd District since his election in 2018.

The Delco native previously served as an assistant district attorney, and has taught at the middle school, high school, and college levels, according to his biography. He also is an attorney who practiced at Rudolph Clarke LLP, though he was no longer listed at the firm as of last week.

While in the General Assembly, the 44-year-old lawmaker has focused on health care and education issues, such as reducing insulin prices and increasing education funding.

He lives in Drexel Hill with his wife and two children. He grew up in Havertown as the oldest of six children.

At least three people have accused Zabel of inappropriate touching or language while inebriated.

Rep. Abby Major (R., Armstrong) came forward Wednesday, detailing a November 2022 encounter with Zabel: While at a bar trying to pay for her tab, Zabel peppered her with compliments about her appearance that made her uncomfortable, Major alleged.

Zabel, with wine-stained lips and teeth, then allegedly put his arm around her, touched her back and asked her to go upstairs with him. She said she declined and told him she was not interested. She claimed she later saw him following her to her car. Her accusations were also anonymously published last week in an article on Broad and Liberty, a conservative website.

Andi Perez, a lobbyist for Service Employees International Union 32BJ in 2019, was the first person to come forward with a groping allegation. She first shared her experience at a listening tour event organized by then-House Speaker Mark Rozzi (D., Berks) about how lawmakers could improve the work in Harrisburg. She did not name Zabel as the man who sexually harassed her until last week, in a report from SpotlightPA.

Perez alleges Zabel “decided to caress my leg — I was wearing a skirt — all the while telling me he was impressed by my passion and knowledge of the issues we were discussing.” Perez shared that account during the Jan. 27 listening tour event at St. Joseph’s University.

“I moved away from him, hoping he would stop,” Perez added. “He did not.”

His former campaign manager Colleen Kennedy also accused Zabel of allegedly inappropriately touching her and making uncomfortable remarks while intoxicated. She reported the issues in 2018 to a Democratic party leader, she said, and she publicly reported her allegations in a blog post Wednesday.

Zabel’s resignation will take effect on March 16. His district office will remain open.

After his resignation, House Democrats will maintain a one-seat majority. As of March 16, there will be a 101-100 split, as Republicans await a special election on May 16 — the same day as the May primary — to replace State Sen. Lynda Culver Schlegel’s former seat, which is likely to remain in GOP-control.

McClinton is required to give 60 days’ notice for a special election. While she has yet to announce a date, the timing of Zabel’s resignation means a May 16 special election would comply with necessary deadlines.

Zabel initially told his colleagues in a letter Friday that he did not plan to resign from his position, and intends to enter inpatient care for an unnamed “illness.” Several people familiar with the situation said Zabel has struggled with alcohol.

“My illness has caused some behavior that I regret, and I agree that additional intervention is necessary for me to fully recover,” Zabel wrote, adding that his family is searching for an inpatient recovery program.

Zabel also apologized to his colleagues for “the difficult position that I created for our caucus and our colleagues.”

House Democratic leaders never publicly called for Zabel to resign, but they accepted his resignation letter on Wednesday. At least 16 female GOP house members, House GOP leadership, several Senate Democrats and a approximately a dozen House Democrats have called for Zabel to resign. All of Zabel’s accusers also called for his resignation.

After the allegations were first published by Spotlight PA, Democratic leaders said they were “concerned by the allegations we learned today, and take such accusations seriously.”

The state House Ethics Committee will likely review Zabel’s case, as well as any complaints from a five-year period. House Democrats said an online complaint form will be posted on its website soon.

“We are committed to creating and maintaining a work environment free from discrimination and harassment,” House Democrats said in a statement.

Several other Pennsylvania state lawmakers have been accused of sexual misconduct in the last few years.

Former Rep. Nick Miccarelli (R., Delaware) was accused of physical and sexual assault in 2018, including of another Republican lawmaker. GOP leaders stripped Miccarelli of his committee assignments and called on him to resign, but he remained in office through the end of his term.

Another former House member, Rep. Brian Ellis (R., Butler), resigned six days after a woman filed a complaint with House Republicans alleging Ellis sexually assaulted her.

And former state Sen. Daylin Leach, a Democrat who represented parts of Montgomery and Delaware Counties, faced allegations in 2017 that he inappropriately touched female former staffers, which mushroomed into one of the first #MeToo moments in state politics. He lost a primary challenge in 2020.