House adopts Massie resolution to release records on lawmaker sexual misconduct monetary settlements

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The House on Tuesday adopted a resolution from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) that would direct the House Ethics Committee to preserve and release records related to monetary settlements paid out by lawmakers in connection with cases of sexual misconduct.

The vote was near-unanimous, with 420 lawmakers voting in favor and one Republican voting “present.”

Massie had filed the measure as a privileged resolution, which meant the House had two legislative days to act on it. The vote was the House’s final move before leaving for recess two days early.

The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), directs the Ethics Committee and the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to produce a “single consolidated list” that includes the name of each member, delegate or resident commissioner who was the subject of an investigation into sexual harassment in violation of House rules, or sexual harassment or sexual abuse that resulted in a monetary settlement.

That list should also include “the total amount of taxpayer funds included in all settlements, payments, reimbursements, awards, or other financial considerations paid in connection with such matters,” according to the resolution.

The House Ethics Committee in April released a list of all publicly disclosed matters it has investigated involving alleged sexual misconduct by members, listing 28 instances in total and 15 instances since 2017.

The House Ethics Committee in a statement at the time pointed to reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act law enacted in 2018 — after the #MeToo movement — and noted it hasn’t received any notifications of any payments relating to alleged instances of sexual misconduct by lawmakers since then.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) had subpoenaed the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights on the settlement funds and received files in response to her motion in May. Her office said that the files show taxpayers have paid over $300,000 in settlements on behalf of six former members of Congress or their offices.

“Congress has spent decades hiding this from the American people, and enough is enough. Taxpayers didn’t sign up to foot the bill for cover-ups. They deserve to know their hard-earned dollars were used to cover up sexual harassment by their own elected officials,” Mace said in a statement then.

Emily Brooks contributed to this report.

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