Ingraham: Time for old timers in Congress ‘to do the decent thing and retire’

Fox News host Laura Ingraham called on congressional “old timers” to retire on Tuesday, in response to sexual assault allegations surfacing on Capitol Hill. 

“If we want to end the corruption, and move legislation on Capitol Hill, we need the old timers to do the decent thing and begin to retire!” Ingraham said, referring to sexual harassment settlements that have been made on Capitol Hill for over a decade, on her show “The Ingraham Angle.”

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“They’re just looking to cover themselves, and representatives, well, they settle into their positions of power and year after year, term after term, they tune out their constituents. And pretty soon, they’re taking orders from the swamp rather than the people,” she said. 

“John Conyers [Jr.] is the most potent example. The congressman — who has just been charged this week with sexual harassment by two women so far in two days — is 88 years old. He has held his congressional seat for 52 years,” she continued, referring to the Democratic congressman from Michigan. 

Ingraham’s comments come a day after Conyers said he took part in a settlement with a former female employee who accused him of sexual misconduct in order to avoid litigation in 2015. 

“My office resolved the allegations — with an express denial of liability — in order to save all involved from the rigors of protracted litigation,” Conyers said in a statement.  

“There are statutory requirements of confidentiality that apply to both the employee and me regarding this matter,” he continued. 

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) revealed earlier this month that the House has paid out $15 million in harassment settlements over more than a decade, though a spokesperson later clarified that figure does not only account for sexual harassment claims.

Conyers is not the only lawmaker facing scrutiny due to sexual misconduct allegations.

Allegations against Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) from two women have surfaced in recent weeks.