Diehl: Senators and Congressional Members Should Be Personally Responsible Not Taxpayers

This past week Representative Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman), candidate for U.S. Senate, called for accountability of Senators and Congressional members who have sexually harassed staff.

The Congressional Office of Compliance revealed that hundreds of women have been victims of sexual harassment by members of Congress.  During the past 10 years, over $15 million in awards and settlements have been paid out using taxpayer funds for Capitol Hill workplace violations.  Despite taxpayers paying for the settlements, information regarding who is doing the harassing is kept secret.

Diehl wants to end the taxpayer slush fund and require that members of Congress be held personally responsible.  Moreover, he believes there needs to be more sunlight by requiring public reporting of all settlements and awards, and to prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements for all such settlements involving members of Congress.

“Like so many other Americans, I was outraged by the behavior and the use of tax dollars to cover it up.  Members of Congress must be held personally responsible for their behavior, not the taxpayers,” said Diehl.  “Taxpayers funding these settlements with no disclosure to the public is like a get out of jail free card.  If any member of Congress has been inappropriate with their staff, it should not be swept under the rug.”

“As lawmakers and elected leaders, Congress should be held to highest level of standards, not be given a free pass,” said Diehl.  ‘As the next Senator, I will work for accountability, to protect our tax dollars, end bad practices, and require more sunlight.  As they say, sunlight is the best disinfectant.”