Woman Says Congressman From Pa. Choked Her

A woman alleged in a call to police last fall that U.S. Rep. Don Sherwood had started choking her while giving her a back rub at his Washington apartment, but no charges were filed, according to a published report.

The encounter between Sherwood, 64, a four-term Republican congressman, and Cynthia Ore, 29, of Rockville, Md., occurred on the afternoon of Sept. 15, according to a copy of a Washington Metropolitan Police incident report obtained by the Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Times Leader. … (Yahoo News) … More below:

“Based on interviews with both parties and no physical evidence of injury to (Ore), there was no probable cause to make an arrest or reasonable cause to believe (Ore) was assaulted,” the incident report stated.

But police also said in the report they did not receive a full account of events.

“Both parties have left out significant information or are not willing to discuss in detail what actually happened,” the incident report said.

Sherwood, who is married, told the Times Leader in a story published Saturday that Ore was “an acquaintance” but wouldn’t elaborate on why she was in his apartment. Ore told the newspaper the two met in 1999 at a Young Republicans meeting but wouldn’t go into specifics about their relationship.

“She made an allegation against me which, I say, is absolutely not true,” Sherwood said. “The police investigated the allegation and agreed.”

According to the police report, Ore called 911 on her cell phone from Sherwood’s bathroom and reported that Sherwood had “choked her for no apparent reason.” Both parties said he was giving her a back rub, but he said she “jumped up” and ran to the bathroom during it.

Police said Ore changed her account during an interview with police, saying nothing had happened, but added that the woman “did not seem to be of sound mind,” …

“Thinking of that day I could cry and cry,” Ore told the Times Leader.

Sherwood, whose 10th district encompasses parts of northeast and central Pennsylvania, said he’s the victim of a political smear. … (Yahoo News)