When Rep. Kat Cammack began work on a task force this spring to combat sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill, the Florida Republican soon heard from former staffers who wanted to share their stories.
asserted
who → begin → stories
They “came out of the woodwork” she said, and had stayed silent because it was well established that coming forward would be the end of a career they had worked so hard to achieve.
asserted
they → come → career
“Those were some of the hardest conversations to have,” Cammack said.
asserted
Cammack → have → conversations
“And the stories were gut-wrenching.”
asserted
stories → wrench → ?
This year’s spike in House Ethics Committee investigations related to sexual misconduct prompted congressional leaders to set up a working group led by Cammack and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M. What they have found is disturbing, Cammack said.
asserted
Cammack → relate → What
Victims are unclear about where they can go for help.
uncertain
they → go → help
They do not trust there will be repercussions for the perpetrator.
asserted
They → trust → perpetrator
And the current requirements for reporting harassment can work against them, such as a 180-day “shot clock” for filing a claim after an alleged violation.
uncertain
requirements → report → violation
“It’s a disaster,” Cammack said.
asserted
Cammack → ’ → ?
“The entire system on Capitol Hill is really designed to create a chilling effect for victims.”
asserted
system → design → victims
The task force is expected to release recommended changes after the Nov. 3 elections with a goal of taking action before the end of the year.
asserted
force → expect → year
A deluge of ethics cases led to this moment
In a Congress that has generally struggled this year to do more than keep the federal government running, the House Ethics Committee has been caught in the middle of the some of the biggest stories coming out of Washington.
asserted
Committee → lead → Washington
Three lawmakers resigned this year rather than face the prospect of an expulsion vote.
asserted
lawmakers → resign → vote
Two of those cases involved alleged sexual misconduct.
asserted
Two → involve → misconduct
Another member was censured for his interactions with two female aides on his staff.
asserted
member → censure → staff
Those stories emerged at a time when Congress was confronted by public outrage over the government’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.
asserted
Congress → emerge → case
In the previous months, members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus had multiple meetings with survivors who were pushing for the release of Epstein-related files at the Department of Justice.
asserted
who → have → Justice
In April, the Ethics Committee began an investigation into whether then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under his supervision.
asserted
Swalwell → begin → supervision
Swalwell would soon resign as colleagues called for his expulsion.
asserted
colleagues → resign → expulsion
Similarly, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, resigned as the committee investigated whether he had engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee in his office.
asserted
he → resign → office
Gonzales had acknowledged an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide.
asserted
who → acknowledge → suicide
Most recently, the committee recommended the censure of Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., following an investigation that concluded he engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers in his office.
asserted
he → recommend → office
The House went along with the recommendation by a vote of 413-2.
asserted
House → go → 413
Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., is also the subject of a committee investigation that he may have engaged in sexual misconduct with a House staffer.
uncertain
he → engage → staffer
Gomez said he would cooperate with the investigation but also stressed that his actions were consensual in nature and did not violate the law or House Ethics rules.
asserted
actions → say → law
He also apologized to his family and constituents.
asserted
He → apologize → family
The committee is also investigating whether Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., engaged in sexual misconduct or dating violence, among other allegations.
asserted
Mills → investigate → allegations
Mills has denied the allegations and recently lost a Republican primary.
asserted
Mills → deny → primary
Lawmakers felt called to action
asserted
Lawmakers → call → action
Cammack said that as stories began to surface about some of the cases before the committee, she and colleagues began talking about what they could do to “clean up the House.”
uncertain
they → say → House
She approached Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., about getting on board.
asserted
She → approach → board
Johnson’s response, she said, was: “Well, good timing, because I was going to come to you and ask you to take this effort up.”
asserted
I → say → effort
Leger Fernandez was also talking with Democratic leadership about reforms when Cammack reached out to her about working together.
asserted
Cammack → talk → her
“What was neat is on both sides of the aisle, the Democratic Women’s Caucus and the Republican Women’s Caucus were both saying there needs to be structural changes.
asserted
Caucus → say → aisle
We need to work together,” Leger Fernandez said.
asserted
Fernandez → need → ?
The working group started with listening sessions that included lawmakers and staff.
asserted
that → start → lawmakers
They also reached out to people in the military, corporate America and victims advocacy groups for advice on best practices.
asserted
They → reach → practices
Cammack and Leger Fernandez held a packed-room meeting with staff in July.
asserted
Cammack → hold → July
Several ideas for reform are on the table
Congress has tried to address the issue of sexual harassment before.
asserted
Congress → try → harassment
It passed legislation in 2018 that among other things required lawmakers to reimburse the Treasury Department for awards and settlements related to sexual harassment cases.
asserted
lawmakers → pass → cases
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
