WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Kathleen Rice, the Democrat member of the House of Representatives, has demanded the resignation of House Rep. John Conyers, who faces accusations of sexual harassment. Conyers has admitted that he secretly settled a complaint with an accuser.
Rice, serving New York's Fourth Congressional District, is the first House Democrat to call for the resignation of the Democrat Rep. from Michigan.
In a statement Wednesday, Rice said the allegations against Conyers are 'as credible as they are repulsive.' She added that the reason why so many victims of sexual harassment and assault hesitated to step forward is that the women who reported this behavior suffered serious professional repercussions for doing so.
'If men who engage in this behavior suffered real repercussions, more victims would speak up - and maybe other men would decide to act like decent, civilized adults and not prey on women who work for and trust and admire them,' Rice said.
'Whether it happened 40 years ago or last week, settlement or no settlement, Democrat or Republican - harassment is harassment, assault is assault. We all know credible allegations when we hear them, and the same is true of hypocrisy,' the statement said.
Meanwhile, two other Democrats - Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) -- have urged Conyers to step down as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee.
The Democrats' call for the end of Conyers' decades-long tenure comes a day after House Ethics Committee announced that it is investigating the allegations against the veteran congressman.
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