Attorney: Hospitalized Conyers To Consider Future Plans Based On Health
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - An attorney for Michigan Rep. John Conyers says the congressman will discuss in the coming days whether to resign following allegations of sexual misconduct.
But Arnold Reed said at a news conference Friday that the health of the 88-year-old Conyers will be the paramount consideration in the decision, and not pressure from Washington politicians.
Reed said that he will be meeting with Conyers' doctors to assess his health after a second round of medical tests. Conyers has been hospitalized since Wednesday evening after complaining of chest pains, shortness of breath and dizzines that a family spokesman said were "stress-related."
Several fellow Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and fellow Michigan Rep. Dan Kildee, have asked Conyers to step down, Reed says that if Conyers should choose to resign it will be congressman's decision, and his alone.
"We will discuss in the next day or so what Mr. Conyers plans to do. As you know his health is not the best. It's not what it should be," Reed told WWJ's Jon Hewett and other reportes. "It will be Congressmen John Conyers who decides what it is he is going to do."
Multiple women have accused Conyers of sexual misconduct including inappropriate touching and harassment.
Reed stressed that Conyers continues to deny any wrongdoing.
"He will continue to defend himself until the cows come home because; unequivocally, unmitigatedly, he is indicating he has not sexually harassed anyone," Reed said.
Reed pointed out that a former security offer and another former Conyers staffers have signed affidevids stating that they never saw anything in appropriate.
The House Ethics Committee has been reviewing the allegations against Conyers, who is the longest-serving current member of the House.
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