Let's go way back to stolen Valor with Blumenthal! How are these liars allowed to retain their positions after blatantly lying about serving the country? They make me sick!!
Excellent work Roger. BTW, whatever happened to an accounting for the "Congressional harassment settlement fund" that was mentioned a few years back? Does it still exist?
Claude: Here's a comprehensive breakdown of how this system works — it's actually two related but distinct mechanisms worth separating out.
The Congressional Awards & Settlements Fund
Statutory Foundation
The fund was created by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), which for the first time applied federal employment and civil rights laws to Congress itself — laws like Title VII, the ADA, the FMLA, and the Fair Labor Standards Act that previously did not cover legislative branch employees. The fund is administered by what was originally called the Office of Compliance (OOC), established in 1995 under the CAA. Snopes
The CAA covers a broad universe: the protections apply to more than 30,000 employees of the legislative branch who work nationwide, including House and Senate personal offices, the Capitol Police, the Library of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, and other legislative branch entities. OCWR
How the Process Works (Pre- and Post-Reform)
Before the 2018 Reform Act, the process was burdensome and opaque. Congressional employees would go to the Office of Compliance to file complaints, and it involved mandatory cooling-off periods, mediation, and typically non-disclosure agreements — meaning victims couldn't tell Congress any details about which lawmakers had settled claims. NPR
After the 2018 Reform Act (signed December 21, 2018), the system was significantly overhauled. The Reform Act changed the name of the office from the OOC to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), expanded protections to unpaid staff, mandated a biennial survey of the legislative branch workplace environment, and significantly reformed the dispute resolution process. OCWR
The current step-by-step process under the Reform Act is:
A claim must be filed with the OCWR within 180 days of the alleged violation. A Confidential Advisor is available to consult with covered employees and inform them of their rights at no cost. House
The bill eliminated the old requirement that an employee participate in mandatory counseling and mediation before filing. Instead, a hearing officer appointed by the OCWR conducts a preliminary review of the claim to assess whether the claimant is a covered employee and has stated a cognizable claim. Congress.gov
Optional mediation is available at any time before a written hearing decision or the filing of a civil action. House
If mediation fails, the claimant can request a formal OCWR administrative hearing. If unsatisfied, they can appeal to the OCWR Board, then pursue judicial review in federal court, or file a civil action directly.
Supervisory Process & Oversight
Oversight sits at multiple levels:
The OOC (now OCWR) is overseen by the House Administration Committee and the Senate Rules Committee. Snopes
Upon final disposition of a claim alleging wrongdoing personally by a Member of Congress or senior staff, the OCWR is required to automatically refer the claim to the House Committee on Ethics, and provide that committee access to all records including preliminary reviews, hearing records, and settlement information. House
For Senate Members, the Select Committee on Ethics must review any settlement agreement involving an allegation against a Senator personally and determine whether an investigation is warranted. Congress.gov
The CAA Reform Act requires OCWR to prepare and submit to Congress an annual report detailing payments made pursuant to awards or settlements in connection with unlawful discrimination claims (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability) and servicemembers' rights violations. OCWR
Member Personal Liability — The Key 2018 Change
The most significant structural reform was on personal accountability. The Reform Act requires Members of Congress to be personally liable for awards and settlements resulting from acts of harassment and retaliation committed by them personally OCWR — a major departure from the prior system where taxpayers absorbed everything.
The reforms also hold Members personally accountable and require awards or settlements to be repaid by the Member to the Treasury account within 90 days, and ensure Members who leave office are still responsible for repaying the Treasury, including through garnishment of annuities. House Administration Committee
Additionally, Member Representational Allowance (MRA) funds — office operating budgets — are prohibited from being used to pay future sexual harassment settlements. House Administration Committee
How Much Has Been Paid Out
The cumulative numbers, while significant, require context:
The OOC released a compilation showing more than $17 million paid from the fund since 1997, but the director explicitly noted that not all of that money went to sexual harassment cases — it covers all workplace disputes across the entire legislative branch, including FLSA overtime, FMLA, and ADA claims from offices well beyond just House and Senate member offices. Snopes
Separately, a more targeted figure showed that nearly $300,000 in taxpayer funds was spent to settle 13 claims specifically against Members of Congress or their offices since 2003 involving sexual harassment or sex discrimination. PBS
In a single year (FY 2016), the fund paid out approximately $491,000 across all claim types. Snopes
The actual breakdown by claim type has historically been unavailable: the OOC stated that statistics on payments were "not further broken down into specific claims because settlements may involve cases that allege violations of more than one of the 13 statutes incorporated by the CAA." Congress.gov
The Transparency Problem (Now Partially Fixed)
The pre-2018 system was designed around confidentiality to the point of opacity. The OOC's position was that this was "the process Congress designed in 1995 — a process that not only demands confidentiality but strict confidentiality under the law." NPR
The 2018 Reform Act forced more sunlight: OCWR is now required to report and publish online every six months information on awards and settlements, including the employing office, the amount of the award or settlement, the specific violation claims, and — critically — when a claim was issued against a Member, whether the Member has personally repaid the Treasury account. House Administration Committee
The bottom line is that what gets popularly called a "slush fund" is a legitimately appropriated Treasury account — but the pre-reform system had real structural problems: no member personal liability, mandatory NDAs, no public disclosure of which offices settled, and settlement costs borne entirely by taxpayers. The 2018 Reform Act addressed most of those deficiencies, though critics argue compliance and cultural enforcement remain works in progress.Sonnet 4.6Adaptive
Isn't he the one who was flying helicopter rides back and forth to rescue people from Haiti? Or was all that make-believe as well? I was a true fan of this guy and feel shocked at how hard he has fallen.
I admired MTG as well. These days are full of hard lessons.
We, as conservative Republicans, cannot demand truthfulness and proper decorum from dem'rats if we abide the bad behavior of our own politicians and public figures. At least, we do get rid of the miscreants at a much higher rate than the dem'rats who sometimes never send them packing for any reason (Pelosi, Schiff, Schumer). And in the old days, they covered more for them than now (JFK serial abuser, Ted "Chappaquiddick" Kennedy, NV Sen Reid and his lies about Romney). One note: not every woman is telling the truth. My ex-wife kept getting restraining orders against me to use as leverage, to bleed me financially and to drag me to court until a judge finally stopped it, then she lost custody because of her "lack of credibility, apparent lack of emotional stability", etc. So, we need to make sure that the chargers are credible.
I wish you could see my shock face. WHAT!!!! A scumbag democrat&republican politician did something scumbagery? Naw, say it isn't so.
What do you expect? The dumbest people in America, the democrat&republican Usefool Voter, voting for the biggest scumbags in America, the democrat&republican politicians.
Lebo Von Lo~Debar
Former/Always 82nd Airborne Infantryman, Disabled Veteran for Life, & Author of the book, "The Separation of Corporation and State" subtitled "Common Sense and the Two-Party Crisis" Available on Amazon.
When is Vance going to Tennessee on bended knee? He blew the 2028 election when lying about Erika Kirk's reason for not showing onstage at Athens, GA. Candace Owens will have 9 to 10 million followers by then, and without her endorsement, Vance can't win in '28.
I'm trying to help Candace separate the wheat from the chaff, such as the moon landing was not faked and Brigitte was not born a male, but Candace's desperate need to be a contrarian is her Achilles heel. Great when dealing with actual conspiracies and cover-ups, like the Charlie Kirk assassination or the Epstein files.
Roger, let me help again: Motive determines 10th Amendment jurisdiction--public domain OR state OR federal. Cannot have a federal motive (hush money to throw the election) in a state court. Double jeopardy, and I have already shown that only Gorsuch is correct in Gamble v US (2019), as judicial review is an implied power if and only if the opinion proves the same equivalence class as the US Constitution. Proofs cannot be voted on, so there is never a judicial review that has a majority or dissent. Either correct or false. Therefore, the entire 34 convictions against Trump are "non-existent" by constitutional due process.
Let me say it so there’s no confusion—putting your hands on a woman doesn’t make you a tough guy, it makes you a fraud. Real men don’t need to intimidate the vulnerable to feel powerful. They protect. They restrain. They control themselves first. Anybody can throw a punch—only weak men need to. Strength is discipline under pressure, not violence in private. You want to talk about toughness? Try walking away. Try taking responsibility. Try standing tall without hiding behind fear tactics. Because the moment you lay hands on a woman, whatever image you built—soldier, leader, alpha—it’s gone. And it’s not coming back.
Let's go way back to stolen Valor with Blumenthal! How are these liars allowed to retain their positions after blatantly lying about serving the country? They make me sick!!
Then he receives Congressional pensions and medical benefits, when he never should be elected based on lies!
Excellent work Roger. BTW, whatever happened to an accounting for the "Congressional harassment settlement fund" that was mentioned a few years back? Does it still exist?
Claude: Here's a comprehensive breakdown of how this system works — it's actually two related but distinct mechanisms worth separating out.
The Congressional Awards & Settlements Fund
Statutory Foundation
The fund was created by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA), which for the first time applied federal employment and civil rights laws to Congress itself — laws like Title VII, the ADA, the FMLA, and the Fair Labor Standards Act that previously did not cover legislative branch employees. The fund is administered by what was originally called the Office of Compliance (OOC), established in 1995 under the CAA. Snopes
The CAA covers a broad universe: the protections apply to more than 30,000 employees of the legislative branch who work nationwide, including House and Senate personal offices, the Capitol Police, the Library of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, and other legislative branch entities. OCWR
How the Process Works (Pre- and Post-Reform)
Before the 2018 Reform Act, the process was burdensome and opaque. Congressional employees would go to the Office of Compliance to file complaints, and it involved mandatory cooling-off periods, mediation, and typically non-disclosure agreements — meaning victims couldn't tell Congress any details about which lawmakers had settled claims. NPR
After the 2018 Reform Act (signed December 21, 2018), the system was significantly overhauled. The Reform Act changed the name of the office from the OOC to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), expanded protections to unpaid staff, mandated a biennial survey of the legislative branch workplace environment, and significantly reformed the dispute resolution process. OCWR
The current step-by-step process under the Reform Act is:
A claim must be filed with the OCWR within 180 days of the alleged violation. A Confidential Advisor is available to consult with covered employees and inform them of their rights at no cost. House
The bill eliminated the old requirement that an employee participate in mandatory counseling and mediation before filing. Instead, a hearing officer appointed by the OCWR conducts a preliminary review of the claim to assess whether the claimant is a covered employee and has stated a cognizable claim. Congress.gov
Optional mediation is available at any time before a written hearing decision or the filing of a civil action. House
If mediation fails, the claimant can request a formal OCWR administrative hearing. If unsatisfied, they can appeal to the OCWR Board, then pursue judicial review in federal court, or file a civil action directly.
Supervisory Process & Oversight
Oversight sits at multiple levels:
The OOC (now OCWR) is overseen by the House Administration Committee and the Senate Rules Committee. Snopes
Upon final disposition of a claim alleging wrongdoing personally by a Member of Congress or senior staff, the OCWR is required to automatically refer the claim to the House Committee on Ethics, and provide that committee access to all records including preliminary reviews, hearing records, and settlement information. House
For Senate Members, the Select Committee on Ethics must review any settlement agreement involving an allegation against a Senator personally and determine whether an investigation is warranted. Congress.gov
The CAA Reform Act requires OCWR to prepare and submit to Congress an annual report detailing payments made pursuant to awards or settlements in connection with unlawful discrimination claims (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability) and servicemembers' rights violations. OCWR
Member Personal Liability — The Key 2018 Change
The most significant structural reform was on personal accountability. The Reform Act requires Members of Congress to be personally liable for awards and settlements resulting from acts of harassment and retaliation committed by them personally OCWR — a major departure from the prior system where taxpayers absorbed everything.
The reforms also hold Members personally accountable and require awards or settlements to be repaid by the Member to the Treasury account within 90 days, and ensure Members who leave office are still responsible for repaying the Treasury, including through garnishment of annuities. House Administration Committee
Additionally, Member Representational Allowance (MRA) funds — office operating budgets — are prohibited from being used to pay future sexual harassment settlements. House Administration Committee
How Much Has Been Paid Out
The cumulative numbers, while significant, require context:
The OOC released a compilation showing more than $17 million paid from the fund since 1997, but the director explicitly noted that not all of that money went to sexual harassment cases — it covers all workplace disputes across the entire legislative branch, including FLSA overtime, FMLA, and ADA claims from offices well beyond just House and Senate member offices. Snopes
Separately, a more targeted figure showed that nearly $300,000 in taxpayer funds was spent to settle 13 claims specifically against Members of Congress or their offices since 2003 involving sexual harassment or sex discrimination. PBS
In a single year (FY 2016), the fund paid out approximately $491,000 across all claim types. Snopes
The actual breakdown by claim type has historically been unavailable: the OOC stated that statistics on payments were "not further broken down into specific claims because settlements may involve cases that allege violations of more than one of the 13 statutes incorporated by the CAA." Congress.gov
The Transparency Problem (Now Partially Fixed)
The pre-2018 system was designed around confidentiality to the point of opacity. The OOC's position was that this was "the process Congress designed in 1995 — a process that not only demands confidentiality but strict confidentiality under the law." NPR
The 2018 Reform Act forced more sunlight: OCWR is now required to report and publish online every six months information on awards and settlements, including the employing office, the amount of the award or settlement, the specific violation claims, and — critically — when a claim was issued against a Member, whether the Member has personally repaid the Treasury account. House Administration Committee
The bottom line is that what gets popularly called a "slush fund" is a legitimately appropriated Treasury account — but the pre-reform system had real structural problems: no member personal liability, mandatory NDAs, no public disclosure of which offices settled, and settlement costs borne entirely by taxpayers. The 2018 Reform Act addressed most of those deficiencies, though critics argue compliance and cultural enforcement remain works in progress.Sonnet 4.6Adaptive
Isn't he the one who was flying helicopter rides back and forth to rescue people from Haiti? Or was all that make-believe as well? I was a true fan of this guy and feel shocked at how hard he has fallen.
I admired MTG as well. These days are full of hard lessons.
We, as conservative Republicans, cannot demand truthfulness and proper decorum from dem'rats if we abide the bad behavior of our own politicians and public figures. At least, we do get rid of the miscreants at a much higher rate than the dem'rats who sometimes never send them packing for any reason (Pelosi, Schiff, Schumer). And in the old days, they covered more for them than now (JFK serial abuser, Ted "Chappaquiddick" Kennedy, NV Sen Reid and his lies about Romney). One note: not every woman is telling the truth. My ex-wife kept getting restraining orders against me to use as leverage, to bleed me financially and to drag me to court until a judge finally stopped it, then she lost custody because of her "lack of credibility, apparent lack of emotional stability", etc. So, we need to make sure that the chargers are credible.
I wish you could see my shock face. WHAT!!!! A scumbag democrat&republican politician did something scumbagery? Naw, say it isn't so.
What do you expect? The dumbest people in America, the democrat&republican Usefool Voter, voting for the biggest scumbags in America, the democrat&republican politicians.
Lebo Von Lo~Debar
Former/Always 82nd Airborne Infantryman, Disabled Veteran for Life, & Author of the book, "The Separation of Corporation and State" subtitled "Common Sense and the Two-Party Crisis" Available on Amazon.
Fabulous!!
When is Vance going to Tennessee on bended knee? He blew the 2028 election when lying about Erika Kirk's reason for not showing onstage at Athens, GA. Candace Owens will have 9 to 10 million followers by then, and without her endorsement, Vance can't win in '28.
I'm trying to help Candace separate the wheat from the chaff, such as the moon landing was not faked and Brigitte was not born a male, but Candace's desperate need to be a contrarian is her Achilles heel. Great when dealing with actual conspiracies and cover-ups, like the Charlie Kirk assassination or the Epstein files.
Roger, let me help again: Motive determines 10th Amendment jurisdiction--public domain OR state OR federal. Cannot have a federal motive (hush money to throw the election) in a state court. Double jeopardy, and I have already shown that only Gorsuch is correct in Gamble v US (2019), as judicial review is an implied power if and only if the opinion proves the same equivalence class as the US Constitution. Proofs cannot be voted on, so there is never a judicial review that has a majority or dissent. Either correct or false. Therefore, the entire 34 convictions against Trump are "non-existent" by constitutional due process.
Let me say it so there’s no confusion—putting your hands on a woman doesn’t make you a tough guy, it makes you a fraud. Real men don’t need to intimidate the vulnerable to feel powerful. They protect. They restrain. They control themselves first. Anybody can throw a punch—only weak men need to. Strength is discipline under pressure, not violence in private. You want to talk about toughness? Try walking away. Try taking responsibility. Try standing tall without hiding behind fear tactics. Because the moment you lay hands on a woman, whatever image you built—soldier, leader, alpha—it’s gone. And it’s not coming back.
Correct 100%