Chuck Schumer aide ousted after 'inappropriate encounters' 

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s longtime communications director Matt House was pushed out last November for having "inappropriate encounters" with staffers, his office said Saturday.

House worked for the top Democrat in the Senate for nearly eight years before he announced he was leaving Schumer’s office shortly after the midterm elections.

Asked at the time about the departure, House told Newsday it wasn’t abrupt because he had told some reporters he was leaving, and he explained in an email, “Oh, I’m just tired, its been a long run, almost 8 years with Schumer.”

But a spokesman for Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement, “Upon learning that he had inappropriate encounters within the office and that it was making some staff uncomfortable, he was asked to leave.”

House also issued a statement.

“I absolutely loved my time working in the Senate and it was the honor of my life. I deeply regret the mistakes I made on the number of occasions when I had too much to drink, and I apologize to anyone who was affected by my behavior,” he said.

“I have always respected all of my colleagues and I was horrified to learn that I made anyone feel uncomfortable. In the past three months, I've stopped drinking and I’ve committed to making myself a better colleague and person,” House said.

The Huffington Post, which on Friday evening first reported the story based on two anonymous sources with knowledge of the situation, also said no legal actions had been filed against House through Schumer’s office.

House began serving as Schumer’s communications director in June 2013. He initially worked for two years as Schumer’s press secretary, in 2011 and 2012.