A Pennsylvania lobbyist named the Democratic state representative who she says sexually harassed her four years ago, going public after originally making the claim during former Speaker Mark Rozzi’s (D-Berks) listening tour in January.

Andi Perez, lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union BJ32 in Harrisburg, issued a statement saying she was sexually harassed by state Rep. Mike Zabel (D-Delaware) and calling on him to resign.

She tweeted, “It’s been 4yrs of roadblocks trying to hold the Rep who harassed me accountable. While we will continue to call for Zabel’s resignation, I am proud my union pushed for a change so that no one has to feel helpless and there is a process for accountability.”

Zabel was among those who voted for new House rules on Wednesday that included an expanded section on handling sexual misconduct allegations.

Zabel’s identity was first reported by Broad + Liberty.

During the listening tour, Perez shared her story, saying Zabel “decided to caress my leg while 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 said. “I moved away from him hoping he would stop — he did not.”

In an interview with Spotlight PA, Perez said that the Delaware County lawmaker harassed her in September 2019 – a story that was corroborated by a woman who was with Perez at the time of the incident. The organization also viewed a text message Zabel sent to Perez the day after she said the harassment occurred, in which he confirmed the two met and apologized for his “bad manners at times.” Spotlight PA matched the number to one used by Zabel.

Broad + Liberty also reported that a sitting member of the PA State House said she was propositioned by Zabel three months ago – and later followed to her car – by the representative who had been drinking.

Perez said she told her story to urge lawmakers to expand who can bring an ethics complaint against state House representatives. She publicly named Zabel for the first time after the chamber voted to do so.

“If I had named Zabel at the time that I went and testified, then the story would become about him,” Perez told Spotlight PA. “And the goal was to get real change in Harrisburg, to allow people like me to file ethics complaints.”

Under the rules adopted Wednesday, harassment against a person based on race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and more is banned. The new rules also prohibit sexual harassment by a lawmaker against “any individual” whom they encounter while “performing services or duties of the House,” “in or on House designated offices, property or facilities,” or “at a House-sponsored meeting or event.”

Sexual harassment is defined in the rules as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.”

In a statement after the rules were approved, Perez thanked “everyone who made this Rules Change possible and voted for its passage,” as well as “everyone who stood by me, and who supports and believes all women and their stories.”

“As I have said many times since I have shared my own story of sexual harassment — every worker deserves safety on the job, and that includes safety from sexual harassment,” she said.

Zabel, who represents House District 163, was reelected in November after defeating Republican challenger Ken Rucci with nearly two-thirds of the vote.

Three years ago, Zabel was featured in a Pennsylvania House Democrats video about a public hearing to address workplace discrimination. Quoting the YouTube video description, “he explains how he’s standing up for victims and working to protect employees from sexual harassment.”

House Republican leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) issued a statement, calling for Zabel to step down.

“Rep. Mike Zabel should resign immediately.

“In 2018, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle said, ‘Anyone accused of a credible violation like this should resign their position.’ Now that a member of their caucus has been credibly accused of multiple and serious incidents of sexual harassment, it would be our hope that Democrats would join us in calling on Rep. Zabel to resign.”

House Democrats responded with a statement of their own, saying “As the leaders of the House Democratic Caucus, we are concerned by the allegations we learned today, and take such accusations seriously.

“Today House Democrats stood alone in lifting the veil of secrecy that in the past would have denied survivors their voice. Until today, deficiencies in the House Rules denied anyone other than legislative staff and House members an opportunity to report incidents of harassment or discrimination.

“Everyone deserves to be safe at work and our caucus commends and respects the courage of those who come forward.”