‘Why are the rules for politicians in Washington different?’ Democratic congresswoman slams lawmakers for sexual misconduct in the age of Harvey Weinstein
New York Rep. Kathleen Rice called for Rep. John Conyers to resign from Congress
‘Enough is enough,’ the former New York prosecutor told CNN
Michigan Representative John Conyers settled a complaint in 2015 from a woman who alleged she was fired because she rejected his sexual advances
A second woman filed a harassment lawsuit in February
The 88-year-old Conyers is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and the longest-serving current member of the House
Rep. Gregory Meeks said Conyers should step down as top Judiciary Democrat
‘If these things are proven to be true we need to act,’ said Rep. Debbie Dingell
Conyers would lead the Judiciary Committee if Democrats take the House
Buzzfeed News reported that Conyers’ office paid the first woman over $27,000 to settle the complaint under a confidentiality agreement
Conyers called the settlement a ‘severance payment’
Said he ‘expressly and vehemently denied the allegations made against me’
By GEOFF EARLE
DAILYMAIL.COM
24 November 2017
New York Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice is calling for Rep. John Conyers to resign after the emergence of sexual harassment allegations – saying an internal ethics process would ‘take forever.’
She is the latest in a host of Conyers’ own party colleagues in the House who have pressured him after allegations he sexually harassed staffers.
Rice joins a host of lawmakers who have been putting pressure on Conyers, the 88-year old senior Judiciary member who was revealed to have paid a woman $27,000 from office funds after she charged him with sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
Asked for the reasoning behind her call, Rice told CNN Friday: ‘Because enough is enough. At this point, What I am voicing publicly is what every single private citizen is saying across America,’ Rice said.
‘Why are the rules for politicians in Washington different than they are for everyone else?’ she said, the Hill reported.
‘And the list is endless.’ She then went on to list other high-profile figures who faced professional consequences after their accusers came forward in recent weeks – complaining that politicians were being insulated.
‘Compare what happened to Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., Mark Halperin – all appropriate consequences. And yet once we start getting into the realm of politicians – ‘Well lets get the ethics commission into it, and you know, ‘Lets investigate this,” she said. ‘And you know and take forever to come up with a conclusion.
Rice, the former district attorney in Nassau County on Long Island, also pushed back on the argument that fellow politicians getting accused should be held to courtroom standards of evidence.
Conyers has called the settlement a ‘severance payment’ and his staff noted that a second accuser withdrew her lawsuit against him charging him with constant inappropriate touching and other behavior. He said in a statement he ‘expressly and vehemently denied the allegations.’
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