The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution Tuesday that would mandate the public disclosure of records concerning taxpayer-funded settlements for sexual harassment claims involving members of Congress and their staff.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced the measure, which directs the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to publicly report sexual misconduct cases that resulted in settlements paid with taxpayer funds. The resolution also requires the total amount of money spent to be disclosed. The final vote was 420-0-1, with no lawmakers voting against the measure during floor debate.
Massie stated that the purpose of the resolution is to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the House. "We need to know what's been going on here in the House of Representatives in order to convince the people and assure the people that we are conducting the people's business with the utmost integrity and treating offices and employees of this institution with the respect they serve," Massie said.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., cast the sole vote of "present," describing the resolution as "political theater." Mace pointed to her own release of information earlier this year, which indicated the federal government had paid over $330,000 to settle sexual harassment claims since the early 2000s. She had previously subpoenaed settlement documents involving at least six lawmakers or their offices through her position on the House Oversight Committee.
The passage of Massie's resolution follows previous transparency efforts. In March, the House rejected a resolution by Mace that would have required the House Ethics Committee to release all documents compiled by the panel related to probes into members of Congress concerning sexual misconduct.
The resolution's adoption occurred shortly before the chamber was scheduled to begin its July 4 recess. Ten lawmakers did not vote, amid a protest by some conservatives concerning stalled legislation.
Among the lawmakers named in documents previously obtained by Mace related to settlements were former Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, who resigned in 2018 following a House ethics probe into sexual misconduct allegations, and former Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa., who also resigned in 2018 after reports surfaced that he used taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment suit filed by a former staffer.
The resolution's passage also comes as Massie faces personal allegations. In May, his former girlfriend, Cynthia West, accused the Kentucky lawmaker of emotional abuse. West also alleged that Massie attempted to pay her $5,000 to drop a wrongful termination lawsuit against the office of Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., who had fired her shortly after she took a position there.