Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., who has been leading the charge to combat sexual harassment in Congress, said Friday that Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., should resign amid allegations of sexual misconduct and said his behavior is “that of a predator.”
In an interview with CNN, Speier said she has believed the women who accused Conyers, 88, of sexual harassment all along, but said it was Marion Brown’s interview with NBC’s “Today” on Thursday that indicated to her that Conyers needed to step down from Congress.
“I think when the staffer who had the settlement broke her non-disclosure agreement and went on TV to explain what happened to her, I was convinced there was a pattern of conduct by Rep. Conyers that is, really without any fear of contradiction, is that of a predator,” she told CNN. “I think that we cannot stand by as members of Congress and say we have zero tolerance, and then let someone continue to conduct himself in the manner that he has for many years with many of his staff.
“I believe it’s time to have him either resign or retire, but he no longer should serve in the Congress of the United States.”
Rep. Jackie Speier on calling for Rep. John Conyers' resignation: “We cannot stand by as members of Congress and say we have zero tolerance and then let someone continue to conduct himself in the manner he has” https://t.co/Bt5g6aLip4— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 1, 2017
Brown settled a wrongful dismissal case with Conyers in 2015, but was prohibited from speaking publicly about it due to a nondisclosure agreement. Brown, who worked for Conyers for 11 years, said the congressman fired her for rejecting his sexual advances.
But she broke her silence on NBC’s “Today” show on Thursday.
“It was sexual harassment, violating my body, propositioning me, inviting me [to a] hotel with the guise of discussing business and then propositioning me for sex,” Brown told NBC. “He’s just violated by both, he has touched me in different ways, and it was very uncomfortable and very unprofessional.”
After details of Brown’s settlement were revealed, other women have come forward accusing Conyers, the longest serving member of Congress, of sexual misconduct.
Now, a growing number of Democrats are calling for Conyers to resign, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Speier has been leading the charge in Congress to reform the process through which victims of sexual harassment report misconduct.
She introduced legislation earlier this month that changes the reporting process for those who have been sexually harassed and requires members and staff to attend mandatory sexual harassment training annually.
