House Passes Massie Resolution For Disclosure Of Sexual Harassment Settlement Records

The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Tuesday that would force disclosure of records on confidential sexual harassment settlements involving members of Congress, with GOP Rep. Thomas Massie saying he believes documents already turned over to lawmakers were not sufficient.

“The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution to force the disclosure of records on confidential sexual harassment settlements on behalf of members Congress”

CNN

The measure was approved with 420 votes and one GOP lawmaker voting present, and it directs the House Ethics Committee and the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to preserve and publicly release records related to monetary settlements involving sexual misconduct.

CNN

Massie said he feared gaps in reporting requirements enacted in 2018 may still allow taxpayer-funded settlements to remain hidden, and he urged colleagues to vote for the resolution in the interest of transparency and openness.

In a separate account of the vote, Massie said on the House floor, "I would urge my colleagues to vote for this in the interest of transparency and openness," as the House adopted the proposal led by his office.

The resolution also directs the OCWR and House Ethics Committee to release within 60 days a "single consolidated list" of members who paid out settlements, along with aggregate totals for misconduct by House employees.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., was the lone lawmaker to vote present, and she told CNN, "I already did this," describing how she subpoenaed the files in oversight in March and released them in May.

Mace argued the House vote was "nothing more than political theater" after she released information earlier this year showing the federal government paid out more than $330,000 to settle sexual harassment claims since the early 2000s.

Fox News

Massie said he discovered there were no reported cases involving any members repaying sexual harassment settlements since then, and he argued the definition of covered claims under the 2018 update appears narrowly crafted.

In the Washington Times account, Massie said, "there have been no reports [showing] that any any member of Congress has settled a claim against a staffer [and] is responsible for paying back that claim," as he pressed for more disclosure.

The House Ethics Committee said that since the enactment of the new law, "the Committee has not been notified of any awards or settlements relating to allegations of sexual harassment by a member," according to CNN.

The resolution requires the House Ethics Committee to preserve and release records related to monetary settlements paid out by lawmakers in connection with cases of sexual misconduct, and it also requires disclosure of settlement amounts.

“Sexual assaults: athletes who were victims of Dr”

France 24

The Hill reported that the resolution directs the Ethics Committee and the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to produce a "single consolidated list" that includes the name of each member, delegate or resident commissioner who was the subject of an investigation into sexual harassment in violation of House rules.

The Hill further said the list should include "the total amount of taxpayer funds included in all settlements, payments, reimbursements, awards, or other financial considerations paid in connection with such matters," as Massie sought a consolidated accounting.

KTEN and CNN both described that the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights approved 349 awards or settlements from January 1, 1996, through December 12, 2018, to resolve complaints against legislative branch offices, with seven cases leading to payments to address allegations of sexual harassment.

Separately, the Washington Times reported that the files revealed taxpayers paid more than a half-million dollars in sexual harassment-related settlements since 2007, and it listed seven former House members whose cases were included: Alcee Hastings, Eric Massa, John Conyers, Blake Farenthold, Patrick Meehan, Rodney Alexander, and Carolyn McCarthy.