US Congress gets strongly advised to reveal ‘sexual slush fund list’
(MENAFN) Republican Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia have called on congress to release the names of lawmakers who have used taxpayer money to settle workplace disputes, including sexual harassment claims. Since 1997, over $17 million has been paid out to resolve such issues.
Massie raised the issue on social media, revealing that Congress had quietly paid more than $17 million in settlements for harassment allegations within Congressional offices, urging that the names of those involved be made public. Greene echoed this sentiment, asserting that taxpayers should never have been responsible for funding these payments.
The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), established in 1995, oversees the disbursement of funds to resolve disputes such as sexual harassment, discrimination, and pay issues. Between 1997 and 2017, the OCWR paid over $17 million for nearly 300 cases. However, the identities of the lawmakers involved are not disclosed.
Former Representatives Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) and Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) also supported the push for transparency, arguing that taxpayer money should not be used to cover up harassment and that those responsible must be held accountable.
This call for transparency comes in the wake of a House Ethics Committee report accusing former Republican Representative Matt Gaetz of serious misconduct, including paying for sex with a minor. Gaetz has denied the allegations and proposed a plan to expose those involved in harassment settlements.
The OCWR has noted that many of the cases it handles involve non-Congressional employees, such as those working for the Library of Congress or Capitol Police, and that settlements outside the OCWR, such as the 2015 case with late Democratic Representative John Conyers, are not included in the reported figures.
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