Sen. Josh Hawley bill would strip pensions for sex crime convictions
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FIRST ON FOX – A Senate Republican desires to forestall convicted of sex crimes from receiving their taxpayer-funded retirements after leaving workplace.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is introducing new legislationfirst obtained by Fox News Digital, to shut a spot in federal legislation that strips pensions for some felonies, however not sexual abuse.
It comes as Congress is having one other reckoning over their members’ actions after sexual misconduct and rape allegations this month in opposition to two House resulted of their back-to-back resignations.
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Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is introducing a bill to strip pensions from convicted of felony sex crimes. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Lawmakers are required to forfeit their pensions if convicted of a spate of felonies, together with fraud, treason, bribery and perjury. But there is no such thing as a such legislation that would require a lawmaker convicted of felony sexual abuse to forfeit a pension.
Hawley’s bill, the “No Pensions for Congressional Predators Act,” seeks to repair that inconsistency.
“Right now, a member of Congress can be convicted of sexual abuse and still receive a taxpayer-funded pension. That is unacceptable,” Hawley instructed Fox News Digital in a press release. “I’m introducing legislation to end this loophole and ensure that lawmakers are never compensated with taxpayer dollars after such a breach of trust. The only thing the government should be paying for for these people is a jail cell.”
His laws comes on the heels of bombshell allegations in opposition to former Rep. Eric SwalwellD-Calif., who resigned from Congress on Tuesday. Five girls, together with a former member of Swalwell’s employees, have accused the ex-lawmaker of sexual misconduct and rape.
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Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress this week after 5 girls got here ahead accusing him of sexual misconduct and rape. (ETIENNE LAURENT / AFP through Getty Images)
While no expenses have been filed in opposition to him, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department opened an investigation into Swalwell following allegations from Lonna Drewes that he drugged and raped her.
And, even when convicted, Swalwell would nonetheless be eligible for his pension, on condition that he met the minimal five-year requirement to earn a pension after having served within the House for over a decade. He might earn $22,000 per 12 months in taxpayer funding beginning at age 62.
Former Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who resigned from Congress simply moments earlier than Swalwell after admitting to an affair with a former staffer who later died by suicide, can be eligible for his congressional pension. He’s equally been accused by one other former aide of sexual misconduct that he has not acknowledged.
Like Swalwell, Gonzales presently faces no expenses.
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Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, additionally resigned from Congress amid the House Ethics investigation into an admitted affair with a former staffer, who later took her personal life. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)
Gonzales hit the minimal time-served threshold earlier this 12 months and will earn over $8,000 yearly when he turns 62.
Hawley’s laws additionally comes as misconduct allegations have made their approach to the Senate. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., mentioned on X on Wednesday that “the Senate has its own trash to take out.”
Luna instructed Senate Majority Leader John Thune“You need to look into the allegations against one of your Senators, it’s very disturbing. My chief will be contacting your chief.”
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The South Dakota Republican confirmed that his workplace acquired the data Thursday morning.
“I don’t know what the particulars are about this,” Thune mentioned. “All I do know is that we referred it to the right authorities, which, on this case, would be the Senate Ethics Committee.”
