GOP Pushes To Expose $17M Congressional Misconduct Settlements

Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) are demanding transparency from Congress regarding the use of taxpayer funds to settle workplace disputes, including sexual harassment claims. The call comes after revelations that over $17 million has been quietly paid out since 1997 to resolve nearly 300 cases involving lawmakers and Capitol employees.

“Congress has secretly paid out more than $17 million of your money to quietly settle charges of harassment (sexual and other forms) in Congressional offices,” Massie wrote on X. “Don’t you think we should release the names of the Representatives? I do.” Greene quickly voiced her agreement, calling for the release of what she referred to as the “congressional sexual slush fund list.”

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, responsible for administering the settlements, does not disclose the identities of those involved or how much of the $17 million specifically pertains to sexual harassment. The office has also noted that many cases involve employees outside of the House and Senate, such as the Capitol Police or Library of Congress.

Former Reps. Mo Brooks (R-AL) and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) echoed the demand for transparency. “Taxpayer $$ must NEVER be used to SECRETLY bail out sexual (& other) harassers,” Brooks wrote on X, arguing that individual lawmakers should bear the financial burden of their misconduct.

The push for disclosure follows a House Ethics Committee report detailing allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use against Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who resigned but has floated the idea of briefly returning to Congress to expose the secret settlements.

“Someone suggested the following plan to me,” Gaetz wrote on X, outlining a proposal to return, file a motion to release the settlement details, and then resign again. A draft resolution to force disclosure is reportedly already circulating among GOP lawmakers.