Nancy Pelosi said on NBC’s Meet the Press that Democratic Rep. John Conyers, who has been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment, should be granted “due process.”
Pelosi couldn’t remember the number of women who have accused Conyers of harassing them.
I deny these allegations, many of which were raised by documents reportedly paid for by a partisan alt-right blogger. I very much look forward to vindicating myself and my family before the House Committee on Ethics,” Conyers said in a statement.
“To be clear, I would like very much to remain as Ranking Member,” he added. “There is still much work to be done on core concerns like securing civil rights, enacting meaningful criminal justice reform, and protecting access to the ballot box.”
Earlier in the day, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi urged “due process” before making conclusions about Rep. Conyers, saying the congressman is “an icon” who has worked to protect women.
“We are strengthened by due process. Just because someone is accused — and was it one accusation? Is it two?” Pelosi asked on “Meet The Press.”
“John Conyers is an icon in our country. He has done a great deal to protect women – Violence Against Women Act, which the left — right-wing — is now quoting me as praising him for his work on that, and he did great work on that,” she added. “But the fact is, as John reviews his case, which he knows, which I don’t, I believe he will do the right thing.”
Conyers’ office recently confirmed issuing a settlement of $27,000 to a former staffer who says she was fired for resisting the congressman’s sexual advances. Conyers has acknowledged the payout, which he said amounted to a severance package, but he denied the allegations about what it was for.
The payout from Conyers’ office first became public in a report published by Buzzfeed on Monday, and came after a number of men in powerful positions in politics, entertainment and media have faced public accusations of sexual harassment. The accusations have opened up a national conversation about how women are treated in the workplace by men in positions of power.
When asked specifically whether she believes the accusations against Conyers, Pelosi said: “I do not know who they are. Do you? They have not really come forward.”
What a piece of work.
That the accusing women are former staffers of Conyers is not in dispute. That Conyers, who resigned as ranking Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee today, used taxpayer money to settle the accusations is also not in dispute.
Not that it really matters, but Pelosi has been curiously silent about “due process” for Roy Moore. Actually, I don’t think either of them deserves anything but our complete and utter contempt, but to make something like due process a partisan issue is obscene.
I also find it amusing that Pelosi would bring up past accomplishments for women by Conyers, looking to save the congressman the same way that Democrats have tried to save members like Ted Kennedy and President Bill Clinton in the past. I guess for feminists and empty-headed liberals, the tactic works fine.
Conyers is toast and Pelosi knows it.
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