Release the Names

Written by Rob Chambers

The Congressional swamp has surrounded itself with a legal apparatus known as the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. This law was designed to protect sex offenders in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and other federal agencies from public scrutiny. Congress has also been funding a U.S. Treasury account to pay claims for congressional acts of sexual harassment and other discrimination claims.

Until recently, the political establishment on both sides of the aisle kept the morally problematic aspects of the law from the public. Earlier this month, Laura Ingraham, Fox News host of The Ingraham Angle, revealed in her report that Congress has been using taxpayer funds to settle sexual harassment claims against members of Congress and other federal employees. Ingram reported that over $15 million in taxpayer funds have been paid to settle the claims.

Sign the petition and tell Senate Majority Leader McConnell and House Speaker Ryan:

The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 willfully created the ability of Congress and other employees under the jurisdiction of the Office of Compliance (OOC) to have their acts of sexual harassment and related settlements concealed from the taxpayer.

As an act of government responsibility, accountability, and transparency, release the names of Congressional members and other employees who remediated and settled sexual harassment claims under the OOC, along with the amount of claims paid from the U.S. Treasury.

During President Bill Clinton’s first administration, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sponsored the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. This legislation created the political apparatus for members of Congress to cloak sexual harassment settlements in a shroud of secrecy. The bill was introduced on January 4, fast-tracked through the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House, and signed into law by Pres. Clinton on January 23. See the existing members of Congress who voted for this bill as well as a video of the press conference led by Sen. Grassley the day before he presented the bill.

The United States Congress Office of Compliance (OOC) Board issues legal rulings related to sexual harassment claims. Financial settlements for sexual harassment reached by the OOC must be approved by the chairman and ranking member of the House Administration Committee, who is Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS). He would approve any disbursements from the U.S. Treasury for OOC settled claims for sexual harassment.

Take ACTION: Sign the petition and tell Sen. McConnell and Speaker Ryan to release the names of Congressional sex offenders.

This article was originally posted at AFA.net