House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday called on Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) to resign given that several women have accused the congressman of sexual misconduct.
“The allegations against Congressman Conyers, as we learned more since Sunday, are serious, disappointing and very credible. It’s very sad. The brave women who came forward are owed justice. I pray for Congressman Conyers and his family and wish them well. However, Congressman Conyers should resign,” Pelosi said at a press conference when asked why she had not publicly called for Conyers to step down.
“As Dean, Congressman Conyers has served our congress for more than five decades and shaped some of the most consequential legislation of the last half century. However, zero tolerance means consequences. For everyone, no matter how great the legacy. It’s no license to harass or discriminate. In fact it makes it even more disappointing,” she added.
Pelosi reportedly urged Conyers in private to resign but had refrained from publicly calling on him to step down until Thursday morning. More than a week after the first report on Conyers’ behavior surfaced, only a handful of House Democrats have publicly said Conyers should resign from Congress.
The congressman has denied wrongdoing and resisted any pressure to resign so far, though he has stepped down as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. Conyers has been home in Michigan since Tuesday night, and he was reportedly hospitalized Thursday morning for stress-related reasons.
