Conyers
© REUTERS/Rebecca CookU.S. Representative John Conyers (D-MI)
The woman who settled a sexual harassment complaint with Democratic Michigan Rep. John Conyers wants to go public and tell her story, despite a confidentiality agreement barring her from doing so.

The woman, a former staffer for Conyers, is asking him to lift the confidentiality agreement she signed as part of a settlement agreement in 2015 after the woman said she was fired for rebuffing Conyers' sexual advances in 2014. Conyers paid the woman more than $27,000 in taxpayer funds in exchange for her silence.

Even if Conyers won't lift the confidentiality agreement, the woman's attorney said she would be happy to testify if subpoenaed, which would automatically void the agreement.

"I would be happy to accept service for a subpoena for my client's testimony from the House Ethics Committee or any other appropriate body," Lisa Bloom, the woman's attorney, said in a statement. "She and I will fully cooperate with any investigation into this matter."


Conyers has maintained his innocence, even as one of his colleagues called on him to resign. Sworn affidavits signed by four of Conyers' former staffers describe him as a serial sexual harasser who would prey on his female staffers.

"Basic fairness and decency dictate that if Mr. Conyers can speak publicly about the matter, the woman should be free to do so as well," Bloom said.

Conyers regularly made sexual advances on female staffers and would ask them for sexual favors, according to the affidavits signed by his former staffers. "Rep. Conyers strongly postulated that the performing of personal service or favors would be looked upon favorably and lead to salary increases or promotions," one former employee said in an affidavit.

He also allegedly abused taxpayer funds to shuttle in women with whom he had sexual relationships.

"One of my duties while working for Rep. Conyers was to keep a list of women that I assumed he was having affairs with and call them at his request and, if necessary, have them flown in using Congressional resources," one affidavit states. Another staffer told BuzzFeed that Conyers, who is the longest-serving congressman, used taxpayer funds to fly women into see him.