Congressman John Conyers just announced that he will retire, effective immediately, after another woman accused him of sexual misconduct, saying he slid his hand up her skirt in church.
Elisa Grubbs, a former staffer, made the charge in an affidavit made public by a lawyer representing several women making similar allegations against Conyers.
Conyers, 88, is the Democratic party’s longest-serving representative in the House. The Michigan representative became the focal point of the examination of sexual misconduct in Congress after multiple women said he acted inappropriately or assaulted them. Last week, fellow Democrats, including speaker Nancy Pelosi, called for Conyers to resign, after supporting him earlier.
One former staffer said he fired her for refusing his sexual advances, and claims against him are part of the more than $17 million Congress has paid to settle sexual harassment claims since 1997.
Conyers is endorsing his son for his Congressional seat.