Void the Non-Disclosure Agreements That Conceal Congressional Misconduct

They serve no legitimate purpose and function to protect wrongdoers

CNN’s Jake Tapper urges that non-disclosure agreements in cases of congressional misconduct — specifically, sexual-misconduct settlements — be nullified. I could not agree more.

Here’s his tweet:

I wonder if any member of Congress will introduce legislation to attempt to render null and void the NDAs from sexual misconduct settlements with members of Congress, so their survivors can talk if they wish.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 21, 2017

A friend emailed with some ex post facto concerns about this prospect. That’s sensible: It seems unfair to void a deal that the parties entered into lawfully and in reliance on the assurance that it would not be disclosed publicly. But this is why the last clause of Tapper’s tweet is the most important: so their survivors can talk if they wish.

Our public officials are supposed to be accountable and transparent, especially when they are expending public money. It is thus outrageous that Congress has made this cozy arrangement to sweep under the rug malfeasance by members of the club. There is no legal or policy reason to refrain from legislation that would out the lawmakers involved in misconduct settlements — regardless of the type of misconduct (I wouldn’t limit it to sexual episodes).

Read the rest from Andrew C. McCarthy HERE.