YOUR TAX DOLLARS

Senate Paid Out Nearly $1.5M to Settle Harassment Claims

Since 1997, according to newly released data.

Some $1.5 million has been spent to settle workplace-misconduct claims in the U.S. Senate over the last 20 years, according to newly published data from two Senate committees. The two-page report said an initial $599,000 was for 13 settlements involving “member-led” Senate offices, but an additional $853,000 was paid for 10 cases involving “other” Senate offices. The data is broken down by claim type, including age, race, disability, and sex discrimination. The only settlement paid out for sex discrimination does not specify whether sexual harassment was the cause. The data also does not include settlements that were paid out through lawmakers’ office budgets. Such was the case with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), who resigned this month.