Black calls for release of sexual harassment allegations
U.S. Rep. Diane Black wants the Tennessee General Assembly and the U.S. Congress to release all details of sexual harassment claims and settlements involving lawmakers and staff.
Black’s statement, issued Thursday afternoon, comes on the heels of a new federal bill championed by two of her Tennessee colleagues that would publicly name U.S. lawmakers who have reached settlements in harassment cases while requiring they pay back any tax dollars used in the settlements.
“Victims should be released from their non-disclosure agreements and Congress and the state legislature should identify perpetrators and produce redacted information that shields the identity and circumstance of the victim,” Black, R-Gallatin, said in an emailed statement.
“Veils of secrecy only serve to protect the perpetrators. Full transparency and accountability is the only way to allow victims to heal and to bring perpetrators to justice.”
Black also said she would support the federal legislation, sponsored by U.S. Reps. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, and Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood.
A Black spokesman said there have been no sexual harassment complaints or settlements from Black’s congressional office or stemming from her time in the Tennessee state legislature.
House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, said in a statement the federal bill addresses issues afflicting Congress, not the state legislature.
“The Tennessee House has shown that sexual harassment in any form will not be tolerated, as evidenced by the expulsion of Jeremy Durham and the public disclosure of the Attorney General’s investigation,” Harwell said.
“I hope they will recoup from their fellow Congressmen the $17 million in taxpayer funds that have been used to settle claims filed against them.”
Congress paid $17 million in settlements over 20 years to resolve sexual harassment complaints, pay disputes and other issues.
A spokesman for Senate Speaker and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally agreed with Harwell.
“For too long, those in Congress have allowed a slush fund to exist to keep sexual harassment perpetrators protected and victims quiet. Tennessee Senate does not operate that way,” spokesman Adam Kleinheider said.
“There have been no settlements involving senators or staff while Lt. Gov. McNally has been speaker. As a former finance committee chair, Lt. Gov. McNally is not aware of any diversion of state funds by the legislature to pay out sexual harassment settlements.”
McNally became speaker in January after several years as finance committee chairman.
Gov. Bill Haslam did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley, commended Black.
“I agree with Rep. Black that the Tennessee General Assembly should be totally transparent. She is repeating what my colleagues and I in the House Democratic Caucus have said for over 18 months,” Fitzhugh said in a statement.
“In this time of women being courageous and brave and bringing forth their stories of abuse and harassment, it is unfortunate that the light of day has not shone upon the General Assembly.”
Black, Harwell and Fitzhugh are running for governor.
Black’s call comes more than a year after Tennessee state lawmakers expelled Durham, a Franklin Republican accused in a Tennessee attorney general investigation of having inappropriate sexual contact with at least 22 women.
Durham denied the allegations but was ousted by a 70-2 vote months after a Tennessean investigation revealed several women had received lewd, late-night text messages from the then-lawmaker.
Amid the Durham inquiry, a 2016 Tennessean investigation showed the state legislature’s sexual harassment complaint process was ineffective and mired in secrecy. Complainants could not speak about the allegations, and any founded accusations were kept private.
Last December, Harwell said the legislature would release raw numbers of violations of the General Assembly’s sexual harassment policy. Although the legislature has not publicly released such information, the move was a significant change from prior practice.
The move to release policy violations came after the legislature adopted a new sexual harassment policy in July 2016.
Prior to Harwell’s announcement, Connie Ridley, director of legislative administration, denied The Tennessean’s request for redacted information on disciplinary actions against lawmakers.
Even after updating its policy to allow for the release of information about allegations found to be true, Ridley has refused to provide any details about previous claims or confirmed harassment cases.
When the legislature convened in January, the House created a new committee tasked with handling any substantiated sexual harassment complaints against lawmakers.
One month after the committee was created, the panel was put to the test after freshman Rep. Mark Lovell allegedly inappropriately touched a woman. After an investigation, the committee determined Lovell violated the legislature’s sexual harassment policy.
Lovell resigned moments after a Tennessean inquiry about the allegation and before the committee made its determination.