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.
The U.S. cannabis industry is on track to hit almost $25 billion in sales, according to New Frontier Data. Vivien Azer, managing director and senior research analyst at Cowen, and Russell Stanley, managing director and equity research at Beacon Securities Limited, join Cheddar News to give their predictions for the budding industry in 2022.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore. 3rd District), the co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, joined Cheddar's "Cannabiz" to discuss the state of marijuana legalization on the federal level as more states continue to greenlight medical and adult use. He stated that there couldn't be a better time to revise the old policies on marijuana with more than 90 percent of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, on board. "This tidal wave of support continues. There were five states that approved in the last general election, and I think, rather than one single event, it is this momentum and the demonstration of broad public support that is making the difference," Blumenauer said.
Megan Horneman, Director of Portfolio Strategy at Verdence Capital Advisors, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she says there is some profit-taking ahead of the upcoming Fed meeting, and elaborates on some of the topics investors will be watching for more closely this week.
Rachel Bachman, senior sports reporter at the Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she explains how U.S. athletes have been inserted into the middle of a political debate after the country declared a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.
Lance Ippolito, Head Trader at the Future Of Wealth, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell where he discusses the factors that have contributed to the recent slide of major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether.
President Biden spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the fourth time this year. Biden and Putin spoke for two hours about the massing of Russian troops and materials near the Russian border with Ukraine. Various outlets have reported that the U.S. has intelligence that Russia could be planning an invasion of Ukraine in the next few months. Both countries said the call was productive, but the situation remains tense.
Hagar Chemali, foreign policy expert and host of "Oh My World!" on YouTube, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss.
A recent Wall Street Journal poll indicated that Hispanic voters are up for grabs for the upcoming midterm elections, with 41 percent of respondents saying they would vote for Democrats and 44 percent for Republicans. Bryanta "Bre" Maxwell, a Democratic Strategist, former political director for Jaime Harrison's senate campaign, and principal and CEO of Indigo Consulting, LLC, joined Cheddar to break down the numbers and to dive into what this specific electorate is looking for as the balance of power in Congress hangs in the balance in 2022.
