Monday night Buzzfeed dropped a scathing report detailing a series of sexual harassment cases involving Democrat Congressman John Conyers.
According to details outlined in official documents, Conyers fired a female staffer after she refused his sexual advances and demands for sexual favors. He had a habit of sexual harassing multiple women in his office and used taxpayer money to fly in women he was sleeping with.
Michigan Rep. John Conyers, a Democrat and the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives, settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with a former employee who alleged she was fired because she would not “succumb to [his] sexual advances.”
Documents from the complaint obtained by BuzzFeed News include four signed affidavits, three of which are notarized, from former staff members who allege that Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the powerful House Judiciary Committee, repeatedly made sexual advances to female staff that included requests for sexual favors, contacting and transporting other women with whom they believed Conyers was having affairs, caressing their hands sexually, and rubbing their legs and backs in public. Four people involved with the case verified the documents are authentic.
Adding insult to injury, at least one settlement secretly paid out on Conyers' behalf was funded by taxpayers through his office.
Now, House Speaker Paul Ryan is getting involved and issued an official statement on the matter Tuesday morning.
“This report is extremely troubling. Last month, I directed the Committee on House Administration to conduct a full review of all policies and procedures related to workplace harassment and discrimination. A Committee hearing last week examining this issue led to a new policy of mandatory training for all members and staff," Ryan said. "Additional reforms to the system are under consideration as the committee continues its review. People who work in the House deserve and are entitled to a workplace without harassment or discrimination.”
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Since 1995, taxpayers have footed the bill for $17 million worth of nearly 300 settlement cases involving sexual harassment and racial discrimmination.
It's important to note that Conyer's settlement wasn't even paid out of that fund. The $27K came out of his office operating account. Which begs the question... How many others have been secretly settled this way?
— John Richards (@John__Richards) November 21, 2017
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