Republican Bob Ney of Ohio resigned from the US House of Representatives yesterday, three weeks after pleading guilty in the Jack Abramoff political corruption scandal.
Mr Ney submitted a letter of resignation, effective immediately, to House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois, who along with other Republicans had urged him to step down.
He was the first lawmaker convicted in the influence-peddling scandal that has rocked his party as it seeks to retain control of the House in Tuesday's elections.
Mr Ney admitted he illegally accepted trips, meals, drinks, tickets to concerts and sporting events and other items worth tens of thousands of dollars in return for official acts performed on behalf of the lobbyist Abramoff and his clients.
Mr Ney, who abandoned his re-election race in August as the US Justice Department investigated his links to the convicted Abramoff, said last month he was ashamed of the way his public service career was ending.