Lawmakers harassments costs taxpayers over 550000

Taxpayers have paid over $550,000 in confidential congressional sexual harassment settlements, according to newly released documents. The total amount is higher than previously made public, with one settlement exceeding $220,000 on behalf of former Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in 2021.

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights initially reported that taxpayers had paid more than $300,000 on behalf of six former members of the US House of Representatives or their offices. However, the $220,000 payment to Hastings was not included in the initial report.

The payment to Hastings was made in 2014, following a complaint filed by an employee in 2010. The employee, whose name is Winsome Packer, alleged multiple instances of sexual harassment by Hastings and claimed that she faced retaliation for bringing her claims forward.

In a 2013 letter, Packer described feeling that the system was designed to benefit the employer throughout the process. She wrote that the mediator’s attempt to define what was in her best interest before she had the opportunity to meet with the court-appointed attorney “completely oversteps the boundaries of her responsibilities and demonstrates a clear disregard of my rights to counsel.”

The confidential settlement imposed restrictions and penalties on Packer, barring her from ever speaking out about the case. However, it did not put the same limitations on Hastings. Packer told CNN that her life has been severely impacted since coming forward and that she has not been able to find work or career opportunities since.

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights was compelled to turn over the settlement documents to Congress following a subpoena from GOP Rep. Nancy Mace. She has helped lead an effort on Capitol Hill to push for transparency and accountability following recent sexual misconduct allegations.

Settlements and Payments

From January 1, 1996, through December 12, 2018, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights approved 349 awards or settlements “to resolve complaints against legislative branch offices.” Eighty of those cases were settled by a House or Senate office for various reasons, including 7 cases that led to payments to address allegations of sexual harassment.

The payments referenced in the letter used taxpayer money from a Treasury account that no longer exists as an option for lawmakers. The general language of the settlement contracts reviewed by CNN does not show the accused office admitting to any wrongdoing.

Instead, the settlements state that the office is agreeing to the settlement “to avoid the inconvenience of protracted litigation and the expense to the parties and the taxpayers of such litigation.”

Record Retention Policy

Twenty-three case files of settlements in the jurisdiction of the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights were destroyed pursuant to the office’s record retention policy. The policy was put in place in 2013 to align with regular government-wide record retention practices.

General Counsel John N. Ohlweiler wrote that the policy is designed to ensure that records are retained for the appropriate amount of time and then destroyed in accordance with federal regulations.

In 2018, policy changes were made in the wake of the #MeToo Movement, which no longer allow members to rely on taxpayer dollars for settlements. The House Ethics Committee announced that since the enactment of the new law, “the Committee has not been notified of any awards or settlements relating to allegations of sexual harassment by a member.”

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights is involved with a range of complaints against members, not exclusively sexual harassment claims. A CNN review of over 1,000 pages of case files offers a window into allegations that certain members leveraged their positions of power to mistreat their staff.

In Room 215 of the Capitol building, lawmakers and staff members often meet to discuss pending legislation and other matters. It’s a mundane detail, but one that highlights the everyday nature of the work that takes place on Capitol Hill.

349 awards or settlements were approved by the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights from 1996 to 2018.
80 cases were settled by a House or Senate office for various reasons.
7 cases led to payments to address allegations of sexual harassment.
23 case files were destroyed pursuant to the office’s record retention policy.

The settlement documents and case files reviewed by CNN provide a glimpse into the complex and often secretive world of congressional settlements and allegations of misconduct. As lawmakers continue to push for transparency and accountability, it remains to be seen how the system will change in the future.