US Congress members paid out of public funds for alleged sexual harassment settlements
An investigation revealed the amount of public funds used in the United States to settle accusations of alleged sexual harassment involving members of Congress out of court. Payments were made through a Treasury Department account.
TL;DR
- Over $300,000 in public funds were paid out in confidential settlements for alleged sexual harassment involving nine former members of the US House of Representatives or their offices.
- Payments were made through the Treasury Department and handled by the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR).
- Notable recipients of settlements include John Conyers (over $77,000) and Blake Farenthold ($84,000).
- 23 settlement records were destroyed following a 2013 records retention policy change.
- Regulatory changes in 2018, influenced by the #MeToo movement, now prevent public funds from being used for sexual harassment settlements, shifting the cost away from taxpayers.
- Since the 2018 reforms, the House Ethics Committee has not received any new notifications of sexual harassment settlements involving members of Congress.