Taxpayers have paid more than $300,000 in confidential settlements for sexual harassment claims involving six former members of the House of Representatives or their offices, according to documents reviewed by Nancy Mace and first reported by CNN. These payments, funded by public money, came to light after the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) was compelled to turn over records to Congress following a subpoena from Rep. Nancy Mace.
The settlements, which date from 2004 to 2018, were made to resolve allegations of sexual harassment by House lawmakers or their staff. The records show that most of the lawmakers named in the settlements resigned after facing public allegations, including former Reps. John Conyers of Michigan and Blake Farenthold of Texas. The total amount of these payouts is significantly higher than previously disclosed.
The OCWR approved 80 awards or settlements for complaints against legislative branch offices from January 1, 1996, to December 12, 2018. Of those, seven involved direct sexual harassment claims, with taxpayer funds used from a Treasury account that is no longer available for such use.
Mace identified six lawmakers by name in a post on X, and revealed how much their settlement cost taxpayers.
2007: Rodney Alexander ($15,000)
2009: Office of Carolyn McCarthy (2 cases resulting in 1 settlement) ($8,000)
2010: Eric Massa I ($85,000)
2010: Eric Massa II ($20,000)
2010: Eric Massa III ($10,000)
2010: John Conyers I ($50,000)
2014: Blake Farenthold ($84,000)
2014: John Conyers (Severance pay $27,111.75)
2017: Patrick Meehan (2 cases resulting in 1 settlement) (Severance pay $39,250)
Some of the lawmakers named in the recently released list are deceased, and several cases had already been reported in the media prior to their resignations. In one case, Conyers denied wrongdoing but did not dispute a settlement’s existence, while Farenthold acknowledged using inappropriate language and creating a hostile work environment before pledging to repay the settlement money.
Following the #MeToo movement, Congress passed a law in 2018 prohibiting the use of taxpayer dollars for future settlements related to sexual harassment. The House Ethics Committee stated that no new awards or settlements have been made since the new law took effect.
Rep. Mace, who has advocated for increased transparency, said she will release the records once all personal information of victims and witnesses is redacted. “Accountability is not a threat. It is a promise,” Mace said, emphasizing her commitment to holding lawmakers accountable. The revelations come during renewed scrutiny over how Congress handles misconduct allegations, especially after recent high-profile resignations tied to similar accusations.
For now, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee continues to investigate past settlements, while the Ethics Committee has not reported any new cases involving sitting members since 2018. The issue remains a focal point in ongoing debates about transparency and accountability in Congress.
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