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.
President Biden and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell meet at the White House today for the first time since Powell's renomination to the position. The President and the Fed Chair discussed the economy and historically high inflation, as new data shows inflation may be cooling slightly. Morning Consult economic analyst Jesse Wheeler joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss how the Biden administration at the U.S. central bank can work together to combat soaring prices for American consumers.
In the second part of Cheddar's talk with Governor Asa Hutchinson, the Republican from Arkansas discussed his state's abortion trigger law and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas law that would prevent social media platform moderation currently being held up by the U.S. Supreme Court, and rumors of his 2024 presidential run. "I did go to New Hampshire. I am testing the waters out there, so no decision at this point. But we're looking at it," he said, noting that if former President Donald Trump runs, it would not affect his own decision.
Cheddar Politics looks at the ongoing efforts to pass meaningful gun safety laws in both Chambers of Congress following multiple mass shootings. Lisa Hagen, senior political reporter for U.S. News and World Report, helps break down why Senators are hopeful that a modest bipartisan gun safety package might be able to overcome a filibuster.
Join Cheddar News as we break down the top headlines this morning including updates on the Tulsa medical center shooting, Johnny Depp V. Amber Heard verdict, and Democrats push for gun control reform.
After two subway shootings in two months and the more recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, Mayor Eric Adams is calling for gun detection scanners to be installed in New York City subways. The tech would be similar to that used in sporting arenas, however, experts note multiple difficulties with such a setup including the need for nearby human operators.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, House lawmakers hold an emergency hearing on gun control measures in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, the Supreme Court temporarily blocks Texas' law stopping social media moderation, and the James Webb Space Telescope gets a new mission.
With the baby formula in the United States surging to an out-of-stock rate of 70 percent, the FDA has given Abbott permission to reopen its Michigan plant amid the crisis and authorized foreign imports. Professor Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner and current president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, joined Cheddar News to discuss the ongoing shortage and its wide impact. “As difficult as things is in urban areas, they’re even worse in small communities and tribal areas where parents can't just go to the next store on the corner," he said. Pitts also noted that the Abbott factory was a "disaster" prior to its shutdown and that it would have been "regulatory malpractice" to have left it open.
Cheddar's Megan Pratz reports from the ground in Uvalde, Texas where the community's grief and frustration with lawmakers and police officers grows as more details emerge.
