The House Ethics Committee said Thursday that it does not have information on taxpayer-funded sexual harassment settlements involving members of Congress that a resolution the chamber adopted this week directs it to release.
The measure, offered by Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, directed the Ethics Committee to publicly release a list of lawmakers who have been involved in sexual harassment cases that have paid out settlements with taxpayer dollars and to disclose the settlement amounts.
The House approved the measure in a 420-0 vote on Tuesday before departing early for the July Fourth congressional recess.
The Ethics Committee issued a statement Thursday saying it’s “dedicated to providing transparency for the American public on sexual misconduct matters” but that it’s not involved in sexual harassment lawsuits or settlements of such claims.
A 2018 update to the Congressional Accountability Act required lawmakers accused of workplace harassment to foot the bill for their own misconduct.
It also mandated that the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, or OCWR, submit an annual report to Congress on settlement payments paid out of a U.S. Treasury fund that required reimbursement under the updated law.
“Since the enactment of that legislation, the Committee has not been notified of any awards or settlements relating to allegations of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or other sexual misconduct by a Member,” the Ethics panel said in its statement.
Mr. Massie said he introduced his resolution because he’s concerned there is a loophole in the 2018 law that may have allowed some sexual harassment claims to escape the requirement that lawmaker-involved settlements be reported and paid back.
His resolution directed both the Ethics Committee and the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to release the list of all lawmaker sexual harassment claims to test out that theory.
The Ethics Committee said that while it does not have the information the resolution seeks, it “fully supports” the release of any previously undisclosed settlements and calls on OCWR to make public any responsive data it has.
OCWR has already provided a list of taxpayer-funded settlements in response to a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee.
Rep. Nancy Mace, South Carolina Republican who pushed for the subpoena, released the responsive records in May.
The files revealed taxpayers paid more than a half-million dollars in sexual harassment-related settlements since 2007. The settlements involved seven former House members, and all were paid prior to the 2018 law requiring reimbursement.
OCWR said case files prior to 2004 were destroyed under a previous record retention policy.
Ms. Mace voted “present” on the Massie resolution because she viewed it as a redundant effort.
“I already did this,” she said in a video posted to social media. “I don’t know why we’re voting on it again. I guess it’s just political theater.”
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