Rep. Michael Capuano defended a long-standing congressional process to deal with sexual harassment, amid a controversy over allegations against Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.).
“This is the process that has always been, not just on sexual harassment allegations, on everything,” Capuano said during an interview with Boston Public Radio Thursday. “The process, it takes time, it is painful, but it generally works reasonably well, at least for the time period I’ve been in it.”
Several House Democratic leaders have called for Conyers to resign after multiple allegations that he sexually harassed female aides.
“From what I hear, the allegations seem very credible to me ... but even with the most credible allegations, people have a right to a due process,” Capuano said. “Especially when this is not private enterprise. Nobody here, nobody in Congress works for anybody other than the people who elected them.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and her three deputies have called for Conyers to step down. This comes as congressional leaders say they want zero tolerance for sexual harassment on Capitol Hill.
“In the 20 years that I’ve been here, we’ve only thrown one member of the House out, and that was after he was convicted on ten felony counts,” Capuano said. “This takes a process."
To hear Rep. Michael Capuano’s full interview with Boston Public Radio, click on the audio player above.
