House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Wednesday said Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) “made the right decision” to step down from his position as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. But said Conyers’ fate beyond that is “up to him,” Ryan said.
“Look, I know what I would do if this happened to me,” Ryan said of Conyers.
Former staffers have accused the Democratic congressman of making inappropriate and unwanted advances.
“I will leave it up to him to decide what he wants to do. I think he made the right decision in stepping down from his leadership position,” Ryan said.
Three former staffers have accused Conyers of making unwanted sexual advances. One, Deanna Maher, alleged that Conyers inappropriately touched her on two separate occasions.
Conyers has denied the allegations, but stepped down from his judiciary committee position while the House Ethics Committee investigates the allegations against him.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Sunday declined to say whether Conyers should resign, and called him “an icon.” But she has reportedly urged Conyers in private to resign, as have members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
