Conyers accuser who reached settlement goes public with her story
(WJBK) - A woman who says she reached a settlement with U.S. Rep. John Conyers is speaking out about the alleged sexual misconduct. She appeared on the "Today" show Thursday morning, saying she's taking a risk by breaking her nondisclosure agreement.
Marion Brown spoke exclusively to "Today" the day after Matt Lauer's termination was announced. Hours later, it was also announced that Conyers has been hospitalized.
Brown said Conyers would invite her to hotels with the guise of discussing business, and then proposition her for sex.
One instance, in particular, Brown says took place at a hotel room in Chicago in 2005. Brown says she was invited to the hotel, where she says Conyers was undressed down to his underwear and that he asked him to satisfy him sexually while pointing to his genital areas. Brown told Savannah Guthrie she was frozen in shock and didn't know what to do.
"I didn't want to lose my job; I didn't want to upset him," she said. "I live in Chicago so I just told him I had to leave and go somewhere else. I just didn't know what to do. I was frozen. I did tell him I was not going to do that and I didn't feel comfortable."
Brown says Conyers then told her to find other people that would satisfy him.
Brown also said that Conyers touched her in different ways that was very uncomfortable and unprofessional.
Guthrie asked Brown if she was breaking her nondisclosure agreement after reaching the $27,000 settlement by speaking out.
"I am taking a risk," Brown said. "I want to be a voice."
Meanwhile, the pressure against 88-year-old Conyers, the longest serving member of the House, to resign is mounting.
Detroit-area attorney Arnold Reed told The Associated Press that the 88-year-old Conyers is innocent and has no plans to resign. Anyone making inappropriate touching or other claims against the longest-serving member of the House should be prepared to back them up, he added.
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"He's going to fight these allegations tooth and nail if he has to with evidence, with documentation, witnesses, whatever he has to do," Reed said. "And the accusers will have to prove up their case."
Conyers earlier this week announced that he's stepping down from his leadership position on the House Judiciary Committee. Two Democratic lawmakers, Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York and Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state have called on Conyers to resign. The Ethics Committee has opened an investigation.
On Wednesday, the House also passed a new set of rules that would require anti-sexual harassment training for all of its members.