Congressman John Conyers is in hot water.
Bombshell reports broke this month, detailing Conyers’ alleged verbal, sexual and physical abuse of female staff during his tenure as congressman. Five women have come forward to make allegations of sexual misconduct against Conyers, and the congressman has made financial settlements with at least one of the accusers over his inappropriate behavior.
Nancy Pelosi and Paul Ryan have called for Conyers resignation, but Thursday morning at the House Democratic caucus meeting, Congressman James Clyburn, made a dubious defense of his embattled colleague.
According New York Times writer Robert Draper, Clyburn noted that child murderer Susan Smith initially blamed a black man for abducting the children she was murdering. Clyburn went on to note that it’s “all white women who’ve made these charges against Conyers.”
Also at this morning’s House Democratic caucus: James Clyburn compared Conyers’ accusers to the child murderer Susan Smith, who initially claimed a black man had abducted her kids. Clyburn said, these are all white women who’ve made these charges against Conyers.
Not only was Clyburn’s statement bizarre, it was also inaccurate, which was quickly pointed out on Twitter.
Clyburn followed up the backlash for the comments by saying Conyers should resign. Conyers has been defiant as calls for his resignation intensify.