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.
It is not easy for political institutions to oust valued members or shift standards. I credit Nancy Pelosi with doing the hard work to confront Conyers, get the CBC’s buy in and create a path for his exit. Nancy has now set the new standard of conduct for Democrats and the Senate Democrats will have to follow suit. It is now time for Senator Schumer to talk to Al Franken and tell him to bow out.
Too bad she hadn’t fumbled this so badly earlier. It kind of forced her to come out this strong now. Unfortunately, her Meet the Press gaffe is what will be remembered.
That said, good for her.
Is Paul Ryan going to demand the same thing of Joe Barton? Or is the Serious Intellect from Janesville going to argue that women like to see pictures of a married 68-year-old fat flatulent and his penis?
Well, I’m sad. I’ve followed Conyers for five decades, and politically, he’s always been on the right side of every issue that comes to mind. People who I know who have met him have reported being impressed with him personally. I agreed with the Freep editorial that called for him to resign, but I wanted it to be his decision. Too late for that, it appears.
Now Clyburn has weighed in, also calling on Conyers to resign.
It’s obvious that Conyers must go, but it’s also obvious that Democrats need to establish and enforce a proper grievance procedure for sexual misconduct claims so that we don’t get a free-for-all every time a complaint is made. The chaos of the last month cannot be repeated.