Taxpayers foot over $500,000 in House sexual harassment settlements

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights released a seven-page document showing that more than $550,000 of federal funds have been used to settle sexual-harassment claims tied to seven House members. Six of those lawmakers were already identified by Rep. Nancy Mace, and the seventh, the late Rep. Alcee Hastings, was associated with a $220,000 Treasury Department settlement from 2014. The totals combine direct payments with estimated values for promotions and administrative leave.

Records from 1996 to 2005 were destroyed under a prior ten-year retention rule, leaving the data incomplete. An unredacted copy of the report is available at the Legislative Resource Center overseen by the House clerk. The disclosure follows a resolution championed by Rep. Thomas Massie that demanded a consolidated list of members whose misconduct led to taxpayer expenditures, amid broader calls for transparency after recent resignations over harassment allegations.