From Hollywood to Capitol Hill, the allegations of sexual harassment against prominent figures in their industries seem to be piling up.
And one policymaker wants to change how claims of harassment are handled in the nation's capital.
“I would like to know how much money was spent [to settle claims of] sexual harassment,” Representative Gregory Meeks tells Cheddar, adding that there’s a lot to be done in terms of changing the prevailing system.
Current policy for harassment claims in Washington doesn’t require that the amount of settlements are disclosed. Meeks says that not only do taxpayers deserve to know when their money is being used as a settlement, but that there needs to be a space that encourages victims to come forward.
The New York Democrat is calling for a “zero tolerance” policy.
Meeks’ statements come after Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) resigned from his position as a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee amid a wave of accusations. The eighty-eight year old reportedly reached a $27,000 taxpayer-funded settlement in 2015 with a staffer who reportedly refused his advances. While Conyers has denied any wrongdoing, he said he’s decided to step aside to allow the House Ethics Committee to conduct its investigation.
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) has also had to respond to allegations that he groped or forcibly kissed women without their consent. In a short press conference Monday, the SNL alum apologized for his behavior and promised he’ll work to regain voters’ -- and women’s -- trust. Franken was recently defended by female co-stars of SNL who called him a family man and stood in solidarity with him.
Then there’s Alabama Senatorial candidate Roy Moore, who’s running to fill the seat vacated by now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The GOP judge has been accused of preying on teenage girls while he was in his early thirties. He has rejected those claims and won the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
Many have called for the politicians involved to step down entirely. Meeks supports an investigation into allegations against Franken and others, but draws a sharp distinction between that and those who have a track record of abuse.
“Roy Moore is a whole different thing, even Charlie Rose, where you see a pattern of consistent and persistent aggression trying to lure someone into bed,” he said. “Or even the words of the current President of the U.S. who said that he felt, because of his celebrity, status to grab women where he wanted to grab them.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, came under fire for her defense of Conyers this weekend. After calling for an ethics investigation against her colleague, the California Democrat went on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and made statements that some perceived as bipartisan or tone-deaf.
In an interview Sunday, before Conyers stepped down from the Judiciary Committee, Pelosi touted his record in support of women and questioned the identity of his accusers.
Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark, NJ and Ayana Morris, co-director of the documentary 'Why Is We Americans?,' join Cheddar News to discuss the new documentary highlighting the impact of the Baraka family.
Former New York City mayor and lawyer to Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani made his singing debut on a taping of Fox’s The Masked Singer. However, Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke, two judges on the competition show, reportedly left in protest when Giuliani was unmasked upon being eliminated.
All Hands celebrates Black History Month by highlighting achievements in inclusivity and paying homage to those who have fought for equal rights. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) joins Cheddar News to discuss voter suppression; Damali Peterman, CEO of Breakthrough ADR, elaborates on the biggest barriers for Black professionals; Andre Perry, senior fellow of Brookings Institution, dives into student loans and the racial wealth divide; and lastly, BET CEO Scott Mills discusses the company's initiatives for 2022.
All month long Cheddar News is celebrating Black History Month.
In our nation’s capital, Black history is being made right now.
cheddar's own Arielle Hixon puts the spotlight on three lawmakers making that happen, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif. 43rd District) joined Cheddar News to talk about the current political climate in America, including efforts to roll back voting rights in multiple states in light of Black History Month. "Why do we have to deal with those who still believe that somehow this country only belongs to the whites of the country and that somehow they have to do everything that they can to undermine our voting and do voters suppression to keep us from being influential and at the table by which to solve problems?" she asked. Waters chided "two Democrats" who she said were stymying attempts to rectify the issue and also spoke on President Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.
Wall Street saw another volatile day after the Federal Reserve left rates unchanged for now, with plans to raise rates in March at its next meeting in order to ease inflation. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed has not made decisions on the size of rate increases, adding that the Fed is not trying to get inflation below two-percent. Ken Johnson, CFA and Investment Strategy Analyst explains why Powell thinks that high inflation is a significant threat to the labor market.
Anu Gaggar, global investment strategist for Commonwealth Financial Network, joined Cheddar News to discuss how global supply chains could be disrupted even further by an armed conflict in Ukraine.
Solid-state battery maker Factorial Energy recently raised $200 million in a Series D round led by Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. Factorial says the funding will be used to accelerate commercial production and deployment of its solid-state battery technology, which the company says is safer, and offers up to 50% more driving range than current lithium-ion technology. Factorial also has joint development agreements (announced in late 2021) with Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai, three of the top 10 global automotive manufacturers, to commercialize its batteries. Factorial CEO Siyu Huang joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
