Conyers quits committee
Accused Dem big out as Pelosi waffles
Rep. John Conyers has stepped aside as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee pending an investigation into allegations he sexually harassed staffers.
In a statement released through Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office on Sunday, Conyers said he realized that he may “undermine” the committee’s work if he stays at the helm.
“I have come to believe that my presence as Ranking Member on the Committee would not serve these efforts while the Ethics Committee investigation is pending,” the 88-year-old Detroit politician said in the statement.
Pelosi’s reaction to the Conyers mess evolved throughout Sunday, starting with her calling the veteran congressman an “icon in our country” who “deserves due process” on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“He will do the right thing in terms of what he knows about his situation,” she said.
Pelosi wouldn’t say whether she believed his accusers.
But after Conyers’ announcement, she toughened her stance.
“Zero tolerance means consequences,” Pelosi said later. “Any credible accusation must be reviewed by the Ethics Committee expeditiously. We are at a watershed moment on this issue.”
BuzzFeed News last week reported on the contents of a secret $27,000 settlement Conyers paid with taxpayer funds to a former staffer who said she was fired for rejecting his sexual advances.
Conyers has admitted to the payment but denied any wrongdoing.
“I deny these allegations, many of which were raised by documents reportedly paid for by a partisan altright blogger,” Conyers said, referring to the settlement papers obtained by Mike Cer
novich.