Tonya Robinson, Mr. Hastings’s attorney in the lawsuit, said he “in the strongest terms, denies the charges. He is confident that he will be fully exonerated. Mr. Hastings has stated unequivocally that the record will show that the plaintiff’s claims are untruthful and without merit.”…

The Hasting investigation’s specific focus is unclear. In her suit, Ms. Packer made a number of allegations about events she said occurred between January 2008 and Feb. 2010. The congressman pressured Ms. Packer to allow him to stay with her during visits to Vienna, where she was based, and made inappropriate remarks, the suit alleged. In one instance, the suit said Mr. Hastings asked her “what kind of underwear are you wearing” in front of others.

The lawsuit alleged Mr. Hastings and a senior aide at the commission retaliated against her for attempting to report the incidents to the staff of other members of Congress and the Office of Compliance, which handles claims of harassment from congressional staff members. Ms. Packer also alleged Mr. Hastings pressured her to give him gifts and make financial donations to his re-election campaign.