Rep. Mark Meadows reprimanded by panel over response to sexual harassment allegations

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Mark Meadows, a Republican from western North Carolina, must repay the government more than $40,000 after the House Ethics Committee found that Meadows didn’t do enough to address or prevent harassment by his former chief of staff.

Meadows, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, also received a reprimand from the committee, which began an investigation in 2016 after getting a referral from the independent Office of Congressional Ethics.

“Meadows’ failure to take prompt and decisive action to deal with the alleged sexual harassment in his congressional office was troubling,” the committee wrote in its report released Friday afternoon.

The case stems from allegations of sexual harassment made by multiple female staffers in Meadows’ office against his then-Chief of Staff Kenny West in 2014 and 2015. Meadows changed West’s title to senior adviser, but kept him on staff for months. West later resigned, but was paid his full salary for another two months and received travel reimbursement during that time, according to the committee’s report.

Read more: https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article221776670.html