During a shocking round of testimony before the Committee on House Administration, Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) revealed that there are at least two members of Congress, one from both parties, that have sexually harassed people on Capital Hill.
“In fact, there are two members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, right now, who serve, who have been subject to review, or have not been subject to review, but have engaged in sexual harassment,” Speier said in what is an obvious bombshell.
“These harasser propositions such as, ‘Are you going to be a good girl?’ To perpetrators exposing their genitals, to victims having their private parts grabbed on the House floor. All they ask in return as staff members is to be able to work in a hostile-free work environment. They want the system fixed and the perpetrators held accountable.”
Speier’s allegations come on the heels of her own recent revelations that she was sexually assaulted by the chief of staff in her office where she worked as a staffer.
I'm sharing my #MeToo moment in the hope that my colleagues, & current/former staff who feel safe to do so, will join me. #MeTooCongress pic.twitter.com/dsGFhJ5joo
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) October 27, 2017
Amazingly these claims come around the same time as a recent report by CNN that cited “more than 50 people” who have done work on Capital Hill who painted a picture of rampant sexual harassment and misconducts at the hands “of the political elite.”
Be extra careful of the male lawmakers who sleep in their offices — they can be trouble. Avoid finding yourself alone with a congressman or senator in elevators, late-night meetings or events where alcohol is flowing. And think twice before speaking out about sexual harassment from a boss — it could cost you your career.
These are a few of the unwritten rules that some female lawmakers, staff and interns say they follow on Capitol Hill, where they say harassment and coercion is pervasive on both sides of the rotunda.
There is also the “creep list” — an informal roster passed along by word-of-mouth, consisting of the male members most notorious for inappropriate behavior, ranging from making sexually suggestive comments or gestures to seeking physical relations with younger employees and interns.
CNN spoke with more than 50 lawmakers, current and former Hill aides and political veterans who have worked in Congress, the majority of whom spoke anonymously to be candid and avoid potential repercussions. With few exceptions, every person said they have personally experienced sexual harassment on the Hill or know of others who have.
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal we are starting to see people from all walks of life, including Hollywood and the mainstream media, who have been accused of sexual attacks of one form or another.
We can now apparently add Congress itself to the ever growing list.
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