Democratic Rep. John Conyer of Michigan issued a statement Monday afternoon to concede that he reached a monetary settlement with a former staffer who accused him of sexual harassment but maintained the underlying allegations were false.
Conyer, who is the longest serving member of Congress, said he accepted the settlement in order to avoid litigation but “vehemently” denied that he ever touched female staffers inappropriately.
“My office resolved the allegations — with an express denial of liability — in order to save all involved from the rigors of protracted litigation,” the statement reads. “There are statutory requirements of confidentiality that apply to both the employee and me regarding this matter.”
Conyer’s acknowledgement of the settlement contradicts a Tuesday morning Associated Press report, which indicated he denied ever having reached a sexual harassment settlement with a former staffer. (RELATED: Conyers Denies He Settled Sexual Harassment Claims)
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.