AND: From WaPo:
After a stunning hearing Tuesday morning where lawmakers acknowledged sexual harassment is a pervasive problem on Capitol Hill, Ryan released a statement saying that the hearing was “another important step in our efforts to combat sexual harassment and ensure a safe workplace.”
“Going forward, the House will adopt a policy of mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training for all Members and staff. Our goal is not only to raise awareness, but also make abundantly clear that harassment in any form has no place in this institution,” Ryan said in the statement.
Posts
39 comments:
Bipartisan sexual harassment, well that’s good and not so good, to know.
What is the point of accusing if you don't name names?
I suspect that is off by between one and three orders of magnitude, depending on your definition of sexual harassment.
From the linked article: "the victim must attend mandatory counseling and is required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before mediation begins"
WTF! NDAs are not ethical. Any organization requiring all alleged victims making a complaint to sign them is more interested in covering up the problem rather than solving it.
Just 2 out of 535? That's not bad!
Don't forget about Fat Boy Kennedy. He's still harassing us from the grave. Remember, "The Hart–Celler Act [196] abolished the quota system based on national origins that had been American immigration policy since the 1920s. The 1965 Act marked a change from past U.S. policy which had discriminated against non-northern Europeans. In removing racial and national barriers the Act would significantly, and unintentionally [sic, I'd say intentionally], alter the demographic mix in the U.S."
And what a mix we dun got now!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_and_Nationality_Act_of_1965
"Only two".
LOL, I think they would be hard pressed to fine only two that didn't...
I have here in my hand a list of 2 members of Congress that were made known as being members of the Sexual Harassment Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the House.
Currently, an accused lawmaker is appointed free legal counsel while an alleged victim is not.
Instead the victim must attend mandatory counseling and is required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before mediation begins, Speier said.
“The present system may have been OK in the Dark Ages, it is not appropriate in the 21st century,” she said.
Elected members of a legislature enjoy special legal protections for good reason.
It should be extra difficult to prosecute elected legislators.
I am a Republican living in New Jersey, and I always have voted against Robert Menendez, but I think the current prosecution of him is wrong -- on principle.
No US Senator should be subjected to federal prosecution on such dubious charges.
Now we have even a US President being subjected to a bogus, disgraceful "investigation" based on a "dossier".
There is a lot of political mischief going on under the guise of "criminal investigations".
The one in my party is being railroaded, the victim of a shameless partisan witch hunt.
The one in the opposing party is obviously slime.
"There are two members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, right now, who serve, who have been subject to review or not have been subject to review, but have engaged in sexual harassment" -- Rep. Jackie Speier, Nov. 14, 2017
"I have here in my hand a list of 205 . . . a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department" -- Sen Joseph McCarthy, Feb. 9, 1950
Names and specific allegations of what they said and did would be helpful. Bob Packwood was the last guy outed
This is more and more appearing to be the 21st century version of the day care scandal.
Hysteria and burning witches is an old American custom every 20 years or so.
At least the elders of Salem apologized after.
"2" sounds like a low ball estimate there. The various and sundry creatures of congress aren't exactly known for being the most morally upright and decent sorts. In fact philanderers seem to naturally coalesce towards the halls of power like flies to a meadow muffin. It's almost as if they understand and fully subscribe to the notion that power is the ultimate aphrodisiac. But that couldn't be, right?
Harassment includes asking “are you going to be a good girl”
IOW, "harassment" really doesn't mean harassment, it means something rude, slightly unpleasant or just not completely PC.
"There are two members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, right now, who... have engaged in something rude, slightly unpleasant or just not completely PC."
GARSH! ONLY TWO?
Hmmmm, this is a version of anonymous reporting...
A claim is made under the blanket "sexual harassment" without any details.
A figure is mentioned with enough specificity to appear significant (i.e. 1 Dem, 1 Repub)
No names given, no specifics.
High school.
"There are two members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, right now, who... have engaged in sexual harassment."
I have no idea who the other one of us is.
I continue to be amazed at how blameless, chased, and morally upright women are in view of the whole entire scandal engulfing our nation. Well done, ladies.
chickelit, I do like "chased."
The word "chased" is ingenious in this context.
Name names or stop grand standing.
I'm waiting for the accusations against Tammy Baldwin to be announced.
Hahahahaha!
I actually just remembered Sen Chris Dodd (D-Waitress Sandwich) went to work in Hollywood for the MPAA.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
"Tommy Duncan said...
I'm waiting for the accusations against Tammy Baldwin to be announced."
That would make her the first openly lesbian sexual harasser in Congress.
Our goal is not only to raise awareness, but also make abundantly clear that harassment in any form has no place in this institution,” Ryan said in the statement.
Oh, what a crock of shit. If Congress is serious about this, then why not just make members of Congress subject to the same laws that every business in the US has live under.
Oh, yeah, you didn't know about that, did ya? Congress conveniently exempts itself from all those workplace discrimination laws that the rest of us have to live with in business. I mean, can't have some pissed-off minority deciding to sue their Congressional employer right before election time, right? It would look bad to the folks. So, Congress exempts itself from all sorts of laws, just like the rest of the federal government exempts itself from so many laws it imposes on the the rest of us peons.
all the training in the world will not fix them. You have to make sure they don't work in your workplace, fire them. With Congress, out them to their constituency. Don't help them get re-elected. But really, that is too high an expectation for Congress.
If Moore is elected and seated, will he be exempt from prosecution for them things that he done?
Oh, no, wait, the statute of limitations expired decades ago.
Ignore me.
We won't even talk about Bad-Touch Biden, Senator Emeritus.
“Going forward, the House will adopt a policy of mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training for all Members and staff.
How can Ryan do that? The members don't work for him.
"Training."
Oh my God. They didn't know it was wrong because they hadn't been "trained?"
Why not just enforce the law?
To be just a little serious for a moment. Over the course of a decade or so I led religious education groups in churches in DC and FL, and those churches required that every lay person who served as a leader in church activities had to take a course about sexual misconduct (clergy had their own programs). And those who were involved in programs with children (I wasn’t) had to take an additional course about sexual misconduct with children. These were serious, non-snowflake programs. I didn’t think I needed them, because I’m a lawyer, and I am (or ought to be) aware of how normal human interactions can be misinterpreted, and how a person in a “position of authority” can be at risk of being accused of something. But I’m glad I had the experience.
But those courses were all was based on the assumption that accusations of misconduct were sincere – perhaps not well-founded, but sincere. To avoid problems you wanted to avoid not only behaving improperly yourself, but even making someone think you might be behaving improperly. These were NOT self-defense courses. I fear that we have reached the point that we all ought to take self-defense courses. Women, young women and girls particularly, need to know how to defend themselves against predators. And men need to know how to protect themselves against false accusations that they have acted improperly.
It’s not a wonderful brave new world, is it?
Thank you Hawkeye. Instead of “training” couldn’t they just add, “and I won’t be an asshole” to the oath of office?
I just hope that they're not masturbating in front of witnesses during committee meetings. That would reflect badly on our legislative process, perhaps some leeway should be allowed for closed dour meetings, but even here it's probably a bad thing.
Bullshit OR Jackie Speier is an enabler.
Fuck that shit.
These people all but canonized Ted Kennedy.
Every time I decide I can't dislike the people running our institutions more they find a way to prove me wrong.
Going forward, the House will adopt a policy of mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training for all Members and staff.
The very terms "member" and "staff" are fraught with sexist meaning and should be reconsidered.
Whether this is a good plan or a bad plan all depends on how they define "harassment." Since they start by condemning it without defining it, color me cynical.
I just hope that they're not masturbating in front of witnesses during committee meetings. That would reflect badly on our legislative process, perhaps some leeway should be allowed for closed dour meetings, but even here it's probably a bad thing.
That depends on the committee. I've watched quite a few hearings on C-SPAN over the years, and it's my considered opinion that most of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings would be greatly improved if someone were to stand up and start masturbating.
Post a Comment