ABC News reports that a secret congressional slush fund run by the Congressional Office of Compliance paid nearly $100,000 to two male staffers who accused a disgraced congressman of sexual harassment. The congressman, Democrat Eric Massa, resigned in 2010 as an ethics investigation into sexual misconduct got underway.  The money was part of $17 million paid out by the Office of Compliance over the last twenty years to settle claims of sexual harassment by members. "This is exactly why there should be transparency," said Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., who blasted the payouts in an interview with ABC News. Rice, who is co-sponsoring legislation that would remove secrecy from the payouts, added, "There is no reason why these settlements, these accusations should be done in secret once they're adjudicated." When asked for comment on the specific settlements paid to Massa’s staffers, a spokesman for the Office of Compliance would...(Read Full Post)