The House Ethics Committee is sitting on sexual harassment information by members of Congress.
Unwanted advances. Assault. Cases that had been investigated, documented, after which locked away. Victims who got here ahead, advised the reality, and had been answered with silence. Members who abused their energy, confronted no public accountability, and went proper again to amassing taxpayer-funded paychecks whereas constituents knew nothing.
We tried to alter that. And Washington did what Washington at all times does.
We compelled a flooring vote to require the Ethics Committee to launch each document associated to sexual harassment and misconduct investigations inside 60 days. All personally figuring out details about sufferer and witness identities would have been absolutely protected and redacted. Everything else would have seen the sunshine of day.
A easy ask. An ethical one.
Republicans and Democrats labored collectively to kill the vote. Congress finds widespread floor quick when the topic is defending its personal secrets and techniques.
This was not a partisan second. Both events voted, aspect by aspect, to maintain these information buried. The institution defending itself, because it at all times does, on the expense of the individuals it harmed.
Our decision got here on the heels of Representative Tony Gonzales, whose sexually express and harassing textual content messages to a staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, had been not too long ago made public. We known as for his resignation and meant it. But this was by no means actually about him. It is a few younger lady who’s now lifeless. Gonzales will go away Congress and transfer on along with his life. She received’t.
He shouldn’t be the one one. He is the newest in an extended line of highly effective people in Congress who’ve preyed on staff or different Hill workers, shielded by a course of that was designed to guard victims however has functioned, repeatedly, to guard the individuals doing the hurt. How many extra names are in these recordsdata? How many extra staffers got here ahead, advised the reality, and
had been buried proper together with their instances?
Hill staff deserve to return to work with out being harassed by their bosses. Women should be secure. The American individuals should know when their so-called consultant is abusing energy as an alternative of doing the job they had been despatched to do.
Every one of many 357 Members who voted in opposition to this decision voted for a cover-up. Some will let you know they voted to guard victims. Don’t allow them to. Our decision explicitly protected all sufferer and witness info. They weren’t defending victims. They had been defending themselves and their colleagues. They protected the predators.
Remember that after they ask for your vote.
Any Member who solid that vote ought to assume twice earlier than saying one other phrase about Jeffrey Epstein, too. You don’t get to bury your colleague’s sexual harassment information after which say you care concerning the Epstein victims. Pick a aspect. You both help survivors otherwise you don’t. You’re both for us, otherwise you’re in opposition to us.
To the 65 Members who voted for my decision: You stood on the suitable aspect. History will show how a lot that mattered.
The relaxation have some explaining to do.
This is the institution in motion. It protects itself. It doesn’t shield the victims. The victims deserved higher. The individuals deserve higher.
We didn’t cease there.
The House Oversight Committee handed our movement to subpoena the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, demanding the discharge of each taxpayer-funded misconduct settlement paid on behalf of Members of Congress. Every Member who used your cash to silence the individuals they harassed shall be named. We will make sure of it.
We is not going to let this go. And neither do you have to.
Nancy Mace is a Republican House consultant from South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.
The views expressed in this text are the author’s personal.
