A House investigation has identified more than $338,000 in taxpayer-funded settlements tied to harassment claims involving congressional offices prior to reforms enacted in 2018.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
More than $338,000 in sexual harassment settlements has been paid over the past two decades on behalf of members of the U.S. House of Representatives, according to Rep. Nancy Mace, who disclosed the findings in remarks reported by Politico.
The figures emerged following a subpoena issued by the House Oversight Committee after a March vote seeking a full accounting of settlements made prior to 2018, when changes to federal law ended the use of public funds for such payments. Mace and a source familiar with the inquiry said the effort is aimed at documenting all payouts made through congressional offices before the policy shift.
The records obtained include settlements tied to offices of former lawmakers, including Eric Massa, John Conyers, Blake Farenthold, and Patrick Meehan.
Additional payments identified in the review include an $8,000 settlement connected to the office of Carolyn McCarthy and a $15,000 settlement from the office of Rodney Alexander. Alexander told Politico that the complaint involved a former staff member who was later terminated. A former aide to McCarthy did not respond to requests for comment. McCarthy died the previous year.
Mace said the committee intends to make the records public once all personally identifiable information for victims and witnesses has been removed.
“Accountability is not a threat,” Mace said. “It is a promise.”
The total amount identified through the investigation is approximately double the figure that had been disclosed to lawmakers in 2017, according to Politico.
The findings come amid renewed scrutiny of conduct within Congress. Former Reps. Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales recently resigned following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Data provided by the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights showed that between 1996 and 2018, the agency approved 80 settlements or awards related to complaints filed against offices of members of Congress. In total, 349 complaints were recorded across legislative branch offices during that period.
In 2018, lawmakers enacted reforms prohibiting the use of federal funds to settle sexual harassment claims involving members of Congress. According to the report, no such taxpayer-funded settlements have been made since 2017.
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