OPINION:
In a 357-65 vote, with one member abstaining, the House voted to essentially halt a resolution that would have made public the sexual harassment and misconduct reports that have been filed against congressional representatives.
In other words, Republicans and Democrats agree — the public has no right to know if they’ve been accused or found guilty of sexual misconduct.
This is truly disgusting.
Here’s the backstory: South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, a victim of sexual assault, introduced a resolution requiring the House Ethics Committee to make public “all reports, including any conclusions, draft reports, recommendations, attachments, exhibits and accompanying materials, with the personally identifiable information of victims or alleged victims redacted, related to the Committee’s investigations into violations” of alleged sexual harassment and misconduct. The resolution required the records to be made public within 60 days of its passage.
The House said nope, not gonna do it.
Specifically, as Newsweek explained it, the House “in a 357-65 vote … moved to refer Mace’s resolution to the House Ethics Committee — a procedural step that halted the measure.”
On matters of sexual misconduct, it’s mum to the people.
The House Ethics Committee itself had advised members to vote against the resolution because, as Chairman Michael Guest, Mississippi Republican, and ranking member Mark DeSaulnier, California Democrat, said, “Victims may be re-traumatized by public disclosures.” The two also said the proposal could “chill victim cooperation and witness participation.”
Blah, blah, blah.
Sounds like a lame excuse.
Congressional members shouldn’t be treated as if they’re above the law, above either moral or legal codes of behavior.
Congressional members are tax-paid servants to the people. They don’t get the right to decide whether citizens have a right to know about their alleged crimes and misdeeds. The default position is Public Has A Right To Know.
If congressional members are out there harassing their staff and committing acts of sexual misconduct and abusing their public positions, their public trust, their public offices and engaging in morally reprehensible and criminal behaviors — their employers, that is, John and Jane Q. Taxpayer, have an absolute right to know.
Shielding harassers only emboldens the harassers.
Keeping quiet on crime only paves the way for more crime.
For far too long, the House Ethics Committee has been the place where accusations and allegations go to die, not get investigated. The committee members are allowed to keep all information they receive quiet and secret, unless they choose to release it — and that even includes the admission of whether or not an investigation is taking place.
What usually results — what seems to result — is that members protect their members.
“Congress has been sweeping this under the rug for far too long,” Mace said. “Staff deserve to come to work without being harassed by their bosses. Women deserve to be safe. And the American people deserve to know when their so-called ‘representative’ is abusing power instead of serving their constituents. No more hiding. No more excuses. It’s time to end the cover-up and drag the truth into the light.”
Shamefully, only 38 Republicans and 27 Democrats agreed.
Three-hundred-and-fifty-seven of them voted for secrecy.
Republicans and Democrats may not be able to find common ground on border control, the War Powers Act, parental rights, LGBTQ issues and economic policy. But when it comes to hiding their crimes and misdemeanors and misdeeds? That’s where their nonpartisanship shines.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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