Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Tickle Me, Congressmen

Your Congress at work....

The wrinkly old men that we elect to Congress are so horny and gross that the American taxpayer shells out on average $1 million a year in settlements to sexually harassed Hill staffers, according to the Office of Compliance. The level of perviness fluctuates from year to year — in 2007, 25 staffers were paid a total of $4 million.

Wouldn't such settlements possibly be of interest to voters, the media, and opponents of the crotch-grabbing perv-boys? It sure would! And that is why Congress passed a law saying that no one can obtain this information! Sure, it's only $1 million. But how can this expenditure of public funds be justified in secret? Read this story from Politico. Amazing. Also not surprising.

It's tough enough working on the Hill. These kids don't make much. And they count their own value, as staff, based on the "size" of their Member. Do we really have to pay, with tax dollars, for those same Members to harrass and grope them? And if we do have to pay, shouldn't we know which Members did it? I am not saying that the identities of the victims be revealed. But why not the identities of the Member whose actions resulted in the settlement? Sure, I realize that the settlements all come with a nondisclosure provision, and a provision denying guilt of the Member. But this is not a criminal proceeding, this is an expenditure of public money.

KPC demands an immediate full accounting of public expenditures, paying hush money to staff! I bet a lot of these old perverts are big "family values" guys, too!

3 comments:

Dirty Davey said...

Though--worth mentioning--is that I assume the totals reflect harassment by other upper-level staffers as well as by the elected Members. My guess would be--given that top congressional staff positions are so often filled with petty tyrants--the vast majority of the cases do not actually involve the elected member as a perpetrator.

David said...

Congressmen don't use bookmarks...

Tsiroth said...

"And that is why Congress passed a law saying that no one can obtain this information!"

I've read the article 3 times, and I still can't find where it says such a law was passed? Can anyone point me to it? Thanks :)