WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democrat John Conyers, the longest serving member of the U.S. Dwelling of Reps, introduced his retirement on Tuesday, amid accusations of sexual harassment, and endorsed his son to consider his position in Congress.
“I am in the course of action of putting my retirement options collectively and will have extra on that very soon … I am retiring nowadays,” RConyers mentioned in an interview with a Detroit radio station.
“I have a excellent spouse and children right here and especially in my oldest boy, John Conyers III, who by the way I endorse to swap me in my seat in Congress,” Conyers mentioned.
The Home Ethics Committee past 7 days opened an investigation into Conyers, 88, right after he mentioned his office environment experienced resolved a harassment circumstance of a previous staffer with a payment but no admission of guilt.
Conyers, who was initial elected to the House in 1964, is the initial important U.S. politician to move down due to the fact the new wave of sexual harassment allegations. He has denied the accusations and continued to do so in the job interview on Tuesday.
“Whatever they are, they are not exact or they are not real, and I feel that they are some thing that I just can’t reveal where they came from,” he reported.
Conyers termed for all documents in this sort of instances to be designed public.
Congress has been examining policies on how to tackle sexual harassment issues after a string of scenarios involving notable figures in the U.S. media, Hollywood and politics, which includes Republican President Donald Trump, Democratic Senator Al Franken and Republican Senate prospect Roy Moore.
Trump and Moore have denied the accusations in opposition to them. Franken has apologized for his actions.
Property Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and other top U.S. Democratic Dwelling lawmakers, along with Republican U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, experienced referred to as on Conyers to resign instantly.
Conyers, a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, stepped down final month as the senior Democrat on the Residence Judiciary Committee amid the allegations.
Numerous former staff have publicly accused him of a variety of misdeeds, like inappropriate touching, sexual invites and demonstrating up for a conference with 1 woman in his underwear.
Twelve other girls who claimed they had worked for Conyers defended him in a assertion very last thirty day period, declaring they did not see him behave inappropriately.
Reporting by Susan Heavey and Makini Brice Writing by Eric Beech Modifying by Andrew Heavens and Steve Orlofsky
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