What began with blockbuster details about allegations of serial sexual assault and misconduct against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein that stretches back decades has turned into a cascade of allegations against Democratic political figures and many media and entertainment figures who support them and claim to be such “champions of women.”
The latest is Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, whom, according to Buzzfeed News, “settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with a former employee who alleged she was fired because she would not ‘succumb to [his] sexual advances.’”
The Conyers case is particularly harmful to his party because he’s not just the longest-serving member of Congress, he’s also an iconic civil rights figure who, obviously, is not a defender of a woman’s right not to be sexually harassed in the workplace (or anywhere else for that matter).
The news site noted that, according to four signed affidavits — three of which are notarized — from former Conyers staffers allege that the Michigan Democrat, the ranking member “on the powerful House Judiciary Committee, repeatedly made sexual advances to female staff that included requests for sex acts, contacting and transporting other women with whom they believed Conyers was having affairs, caressing their hands sexually, and rubbing their legs and backs in public.”
For his part, Conyers said in a statement issued hours after the Buzzfeed story was published that he indeed made the settlement, but he vehemently denied the sexual harassment charges — which he gets to do because, legally, he didn’t admit to any. (Related: Harvey Weinstein revelations prove Hollywood is a left-wing cesspool of perverts, pedophiles and rapists.)
But of course, there’s that settlement thing; innocent people don’t have to “settle” such cases.
Also, what’s worse is what the Conyers case reveals: A secret settlement arrangement that is also a pretty well-used tactic aimed at not only keeping such complaints out of the public’s eye but also as a way to ensure those female victims remain quiet.
“I was basically blackballed,” one victim told Buzzfeed. “There was nowhere I could go.
“It is a designed cover-up,” Matthew Peterson, who worked as a law clerk representing the complainant said of the reporting process. “You feel like they were betrayed by their government just for coming forward. It’s like being abused twice.”
Conyers’ accusations come amid others against longtime TV correspondent and personality Charlie Rose, who was fired by CBS News on Tuesday after the allegations were made public and he apologized (lamely) for them.
“A short time ago we terminated Charlie Rose's employment with CBS News, effective immediately," said a statement posted to Twitter from CBS News President David Rhodes. "This followed the revelation yesterday of extremely disturbing and intolerable behavior said to have revolved around his PBS program.”
In addition, PBS — with whom Rose also worked — sacked their relationship.
“In light of yesterday’s revelations, PBS has terminated its relationship with Charlie Rose and canceled distribution of his programs. PBS expects all the producers we work with to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect," the public broadcaster said.
Claims of sexual harassment against Rose, first reported by The Washington Post, are just the latest against Democratic supporters, politicians and entertainment figures. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., has been accused of groping women and forcefully kissing another against her will.
Maybe the problem isn’t just Democrats. After all, some Republicans (including our president) stand accused of sexual harassment, even of minors.
Maybe the problem is that we’ve vested way too much power in too many of the same people for far too long.
We can’t do much about the lecherous treatment engaged in by the Weinstein’s of the world but we sure can do something about long-serving hypocritical congressmen: We can vote someone else into their seat.
J. D. Heyes is a longtime correspondent for the Natural News network of sites and editor-in-chief of TheNationalSentinel.com.
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