Joining a growing number of lawmakers in Washington, U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-2nd, said Wednesday that after reviewing the allegations against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, he believes the Republican “should drop out of this race.”
Poliquin, who is among the few Republican House members to support new measures to crack down on sexual harassment in Congress, initially said he had focused on the looming tax bill in recent days and wasn’t fully up-to-date on claims that Moore engaged in sexual misdeeds with teenagers while he served as a prosecutor years ago.
Once he caught up on the charges by a handful of women from Moore’s past, Poliquin, a two-term lawmaker, agreed “there is no place for this” on Capitol Hill.
Poliquin is one of the three main co-sponsors of a measure introduced by California Democrat Jackie Speier that would require House members, congressional staff and other employees of the House to complete sexual harassment prevention and response training every year, and then file a certification of completion with the House Committee on Ethics.
He said Speier is “a good person” who knows what it feels like to be on the receiving end of unwanted attention because she experienced it as a staff member long before she won election to her House seat.
During a news conference in Washington on Wednesday, Speier said the existing system isn’t working for victims.
“For all intents and purposes, a staffer in the Capitol is powerless and gagged,” she said.
Speier also said that Congress has secretly settled 260 discrimination claims over the years, paying out more than $15 million in the process. Maine’s senators and House members said their offices were not among those targeted.
Poliquin said it’s important that members of the House go through the same training that staff members do so that everyone on Capitol Hill appreciates the rules that govern their behavior.
Stories about sexual assault and harassment have been gushing out from across the nation in recent weeks in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelations, including one by The Associated Press detailing problems in congressional offices.
Poliquin said he got involved quickly because he’s committed to ensuring those who have the power don’t use it to abuse others.
“I don’t think there’s a place in the world for having anybody bullying anyone,” Poliquin said. He said that whether it’s in business or government, such abuse is “absolutely inexcusable.
Poliquin said Congress needs to establish “a very clear process” that will hold perpetrators accountable and make it possible for victims to bring their stories forward.
“Everybody is God’s creature. We’re all the same,” he said.
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