Second Former Staffer Accuses John Conyers of Misconduct

A second former staffer of U.S. Rep. John Conyers has accused the lawmaker of sexual harassment, following his resignation from the House Judiciary Committee over the weekend. Deanna Maher, who worked as Conyers’ deputy chief of staff from 1997 to 2005, told The Detroit News on Monday that the Democratic lawmaker made repeated sexual advances toward her. Maher alleged Conyers first sexually propositioned her in 1997 before inappropriately touching her a year later. “He was trying to feel me up with his right hand,” she said of an alleged incident in which the two were driving in a car together. “I kept pushing his hand away. Then he put his hand on my neck and started trying to tickle me,” she was quoted saying. In a 1999 meeting, she alleged that Conyers put his hand up her dress and commented on her “great legs,” according to the report. “I didn’t report the harassment because it was clear nobody wanted to take it seriously,” Maher said. Conyers, facing multiple sexual-misconduct allegations, has denied any wrongdoing.