Republicans and Democrats in Washington are vying to appear the more outraged by sexual harassment on Capitol Hill. Don’t be fooled. Groping, suggestive remarks and quid pro quos are business as usual on the Hill, thanks to a cover-up scheme devised by Congress itself using taxpayer dollars. The real scandal is that we the people pay the settlement costs and legal fees when members of Congress get caught with their pants down.
On Monday, the website BuzzFeed reported that in 2015 Michigan Rep. John Conyers, top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and the longest-serving current House member, used taxpayer funds to settle a complaint from a staff member about unwanted sexual advances. The $27,000 was paid in exchange for a confidentiality agreement. On Tuesday, Conyers denied harassing anyone, but acknowledged the settlement.
This year alone, the U.S. Treasury has confidentially paid $934,754 to settle sexual harassment and other complaints against members of Congress and their staff.
Similar hush money has been paid out yearly, since Congress passed the Congressional Accountability Act. The 1995 law makes members and their employees anything but accountable. If they’re accused of discrimination or harassment, their settlement costs get bankrolled by taxpayers. Secretly.
Read the rest from Betsy McCaughey HERE.
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