Rep. Ron Desantis (R-FL) announced Wednesday that he was working on legislation to end the practice of lawmakers using taxpayer dollars to settle sexual harrassment claims, and to unseal those settlement records. DeSantis said he is "working on legislation to unseal settlement records, bar use of tax dollars to pay claims against members and staff, prohibit members from using office budgets to camouflage payments (a Conyers rule) & require reimbursement of the taxpayer", DeSantis stated on Twitter. On Monday Buzzfeed had reported that Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) office had payed an accuser $27,000 to settle a complaint that she had been fired for refusing his sexual advances. DeSantis legislation is supposed to make public all payments funded by taxpayers, as well as the nature of the initial allegation and the member of Congress implicated. It would also bar the use of tax dollars to settle sexual harassment claims in which the member of Congress is a Plaintiff, or an employee of the House or Senate, and require that any member of Congress that settled a complaint using taxpayer funds to reimburse the American people.
I agree with DeSantis' sentiment. Congress needs to stop using taxpayer dollars to cover themselves when it comes to settling sexual harassment claims. We can't afford to waste taxpayer dollars for that kind of junk. To tell you the truth, those who are guilty of sexual harassment need to exit Congress and never come back. If the electorate had any sense then they wouldn't vote people like John Conyers back into office again. It doesn't make any difference whether the elected official is Democrat or Republican. Click on the above link to read the rest of the story.
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