Democratic Congressman Acknowledges Settlement, But Denies Sexual Harassment Claim - Ethics Committee Launches Inquiry Into John Conyers, Longest-Serving House Member

[Ubiquitous]

The House Ethics Committee is now investigating the longest-serving
member of the House of Representatives, who is the latest lawmaker
caught in the wave of sexual harassment claims.

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., settled a wrongful dismissal complaint two
years ago with a former female employee who alleged Conyers made
repeated sexual advances toward female staff, according to BuzzFeed.

The ethics committee has launched an inquiry into Conyers' conduct, the
committee confirmed to NPR in a statement. After an initial complaint
is triggered, the committee has up to 45 days to determine next steps.

That can include disposing of it, investigating it fully or extending
the 45-day period if members need more time. The committee says it will
make no additional comment until the end of the 45-day review period.

Buzzfeed obtained signed affidavits, three of which are notarized and
verified the documents with four people involved in the matter who
confirmed their authenticity. The woman was paid over $27,000 as part
of a confidentiality agreement. The money came out of Conyers' office
budget, which is taxpayer-funded.

Conyers acknowledged the settlement, but denies the allegations.

He said in a statement:

"My office resolved the allegations — with an express denial
of liability — in order to save all involved from the rigors
of protracted litigation. That should not be lost in the
narrative."

Conyers also said that he would cooperate with a congressional
investigation, as some of his fellow House Democrats have already
called for.

The Michigan Democrat earlier denied settling the complaint to the
Associated Press, who sent a reporter to his Detroit home seeking
comment.

"I have been looking at these things in amazement," he told the AP,
referring to allegations of sexual harassment and assault against
politicians and other men in powerful industries, including at NPR.

A spokesman for Conyers said he "was under the impression the reporter
was speaking of recent allegations of which he was unaware of and
denied."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is supporting calls for an
investigation. In a statement, she said, "Any credible allegation of
sexual harassment must be investigated by the Ethics Committee."

Earlier, her office told BuzzFeed that she was not aware of the 2015
settlement or the allegations. In her statement, Pelosi again offered
support for new legislation to revamp the process for filing harassment
claims on Capitol Hill, led by California Democratic Rep. Jackie
Speier.

House Speaker Paul Ryan called the report "extremely troubling" in a
statement, but did not identify Conyers by name. There is already a
formal review underway in the House on all policies regarding how
harassment and discrimination claims are handled on Capitol Hill,
ordered by the speaker.

Ryan is also calling for making sexual-harassment training mandatory
for all House employees — a change the Senate has already adopted in
recent weeks.

"Additional reforms to the system are under consideration as the
committee continues its review," Ryan said. "People who work in the
House deserve and are entitled to a workplace without harassment or
discrimination."

Michigan GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga called on Conyers to resign if the
allegations are true in a statement:

"The affidavits and reports regarding Congressman Conyers'
treatment of female staff are extremely disturbing. No staff
member or intern should be subjected to what these documents
detail. In addition to these serious charges, allegations have
been made that Congressman Conyers used taxpayer dollars as an
incentive for illicit behavior and to fly in women with whom
he was allegedly having affairs. This outrageous conduct is
completely unacceptable and needs to be investigated. If these
claims are true, he should resign."

Two top Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, where Conyers is
the ranking member, are calling for a House Ethics Committee
investigation.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., called the story "extremely serious and
deeply troubling." Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., a former chairwoman of
the Ethics Committee, said the panel should take up a review
immediately to assess "the validity of the news account."

If Democrats take control of the House in the 2018 midterms, Conyers is
currently poised to serve as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

The chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, Brandon Dillon, echoed
calls for a House investigation in a statement in which he called the
allegations "incredibly serious and disheartening." Dillon added that
the state party will require all candidates and campaign staff to
undergo "comprehensive sexual harassment and workplace conduct
training."

BuzzFeed obtained the documents from right-wing provocateur Mike
Cernovich, who said he turned over the documents to another news
outlet, because if he reported on them it would give Democrats an
opening to "discredit the the story by attacking the messenger."

The report shines light on the opaque and complicated process for
employees who file harassment or discrimination complaints on Capitol
Hill. The federal government has paid about $17 million in taxpayer
money to settle claims since a 1995 law established the process.

Speier's legislation would remake that process to give more rights to
victims and to provide more transparency to the public on settled
claims.

Meanwhile, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., told MSNBC that she was groped
without consent by former California Democratic Rep. Bob Filner.

"Some years ago, I was in an elevator and then-Congressman Bob Filner
tried to pin me to the door of the elevator and kiss me and I pushed
him away," DeGette said.

Filner later ran for San Diego mayor and won, but he was forced out of
office in 2013 over other sexual harassment allegations.

[Sounds like "hush money" to me!]

--
Let's go Brandon!