Republicans Demand Accountability For $17M Congressional Settlements

Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) are calling for the release of a “secret list” detailing $17 million in taxpayer-funded settlements used to resolve workplace misconduct claims in Congress. The list, managed by the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, includes nearly 300 cases dating back to 1997 but remains undisclosed.

Massie argued on X that taxpayers deserve to know which lawmakers have used public funds to settle harassment claims, writing, “Congress has secretly paid out more than $17 million of your money… Don’t you think we should release the names of the Representatives?” Greene quickly supported the effort, stating, “I want to release the congressional sexual slush fund list.”

The office’s settlements include cases involving discrimination, harassment, and retaliation but do not provide a breakdown of how much pertains to sexual misconduct or which lawmakers were involved. Some members of Congress, like the late Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), settled claims outside the office, further complicating transparency efforts.

Former Reps. Mo Brooks (R-AL) and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) have also weighed in, arguing that individual lawmakers should bear financial responsibility for their actions. Brooks stated that using taxpayer money to settle these claims enables further misconduct.

The push for transparency follows the release of a House Ethics Committee report on Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Gaetz has since floated the idea of returning to Congress to expose the settlements, stating he would resign immediately after filing a motion to release the information.

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