Congressional office releases data on taxpayers funds used in sexual harassment settlements

On Tuesday, a congressional office released some data regarding taxpayer dollars used to secretly settle sexual harassment cases. Over $300,000 was paid in over ten cases ranging from accusations of sexual harassment to sexual and racial discrimination between the years 2008 and 2012.

ABC News reports on Tuesday, that Congressional Office of Compliance (OOC) released some data saying that it paid $115,000 to staffers who filed workplace harassment complaints while working for members of the House of representatives between 2008 and 2012. According to ABC News, the Office of Compliance reports that in those four years it paid $342,225.85 in 15 cases that range from sexual harassment allegations to sexual and racial discrimination.

The OOC is apparently not authorized to release information about individual settlements. Among the recent sexual misconduct allegations in Washington, the OOC says in total it has paid out more than $17 million in taxpayer funds over 20 years to settle various complaints in Congress, ABC News reports.

For more on the Congressional Office of Compliance data, click here.