Member-only story
Rep. John Conyers Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations
Representative John Conyers, a Democrat from Michigan, resigned from Congress in December 2017 amid allegations of sexual harassment and the use of taxpayer funds to settle a harassment lawsuit brought by a former staffer. The allegations, which were first reported by BuzzFeed News, prompted calls for Conyers to step down from his colleagues in the House of Representatives and sparked a wider conversation about sexual harassment and misconduct in Congress.
The allegations against Conyers first came to light in November 2017, when BuzzFeed News reported that the Michigan representative had settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with a former staffer who had accused him of sexual harassment. The settlement, which was reached with the help of the Office of Compliance, was reportedly for $27,000 and was paid out of Conyers’ office budget.
Conyers, who had served in Congress for over 50 years and was the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives at the time, initially denied the allegations and refused to step down. However, pressure from his colleagues, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, as well as mounting calls from the public for his resignation, ultimately led Conyers to step down.
In his resignation letter, Conyers stated that he was “an advocate for the civil rights of all people” and that he was “proud of the many accomplishments of my congressional career,” but that he was stepping down “in light of the recent allegations against me.”
The allegations against Conyers, and the subsequent resignation, sparked a wider conversation about sexual harassment and misconduct in Congress. In the wake of the accusations, the House of Representatives passed legislation to reform the way in which sexual harassment complaints are handled in Congress, including the creation of a confidential office to help victims and the elimination of the mandatory counseling and mediation process for victims of harassment.
The resignation of Conyers, who had been a prominent and influential member of Congress for over 50 years, also highlighted the fact that sexual harassment and misconduct are not limited to a particular political party or profession, and that the issue is pervasive across all industries and workplaces.
Supporting links:
- BuzzFeed News article on the allegations against Conyers: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emmaloop/exclusive-rep-john-conyers-settled-a-wrongful-dismissal-comp
- Conyers’ resignation letter: https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/05/politics/john-conyers-resignation-letter/index.html
- House of Representatives’ legislation on sexual harassment reform: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4924
