It doesn’t appear as though the 88-year-old Democrat Representative is going to be able to sweep multiple sexual assault allegations under the rug like he has in the past, so, as a last resort, Black Caucus member Jim Clyburn has pulled the race card from the bottom of the deck.
U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn could find himself in hot water.
A writer for The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic tweeted that Clyburn invoked the name of Susan Smith, South Carolina’s infamous child murderer, in his defense of Conyers.
“James Clyburn compared Conyers’ accusers to the child murderer Susan Smith, who initially claimed a black man had abducted her kids. Clyburn said, these are all white women who’ve made these charges against Conyers,” Robert Draper tweeted.
When asked if that comment was true, Draper said he verified it through two sources, adding “Clyburn has used the Susan Smith parallel more than once, to members & staffers.”
Clyburn responded on Twitter, saying “This is inaccurate in many regards.”
The Congressional Black Caucus tweeted about the alleged Susan Smith comment, saying Clyburn “used the Smith example to illustrate the dangers of convicting people before getting all the facts.”
Umm…yeah, sure he did.
Meanwhile, Clyburn just kept digging a deeper hole. Following his baseless and disgusting and racist claims to Congress, Clyburn was met in the basement of Congress, where he was asked about fellow Black Caucus member and accused serial sexual assaulter, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). His response was stunning.
When asked about sexual harassment allegations against colleague Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Clyburn seemed to suggest elected officials should be held to a different standard than other public figures.
In a video posted on Twitter, the 77-year-old Clyburn is walking to an elevator with Congressional Black Caucus chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.), when asked “Other men in other industries have faced similar accusations … and gotten out of the way, resign, stepped down, far faster than he has, right … Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer?”
Clyburn’s response, “Who elected them?”
CBC Chair Richmond asks for ex. of ppl leaving jobs faster than Conyers when face sexual harassment claims; Clyburn asks "who elected them?" pic.twitter.com/FGDNbvBUcg
— Alex Moe (@AlexNBCNews) November 29, 2017
That was followed by another question, “So it’s different because he’s elected,” but the elevator doors closed before Clyburn might have responded.
A HIGHER STANDARD
But after 5 p.m., Clyburn posted his official statement regarding a House Resolution that read very differently than the flippant response to reporters in the halls of the Capitol.
Congress must streamline the process, protect victims that wish to be protected, and ensure all allegations of wrongdoing are investigated with professionalism, urgency and due process. Read my full statement here, https://t.co/P3eEnkTIS5
— James E. Clyburn (@WhipClyburn) November 29, 2017
“As elected officials, we ought to be held to a higher standard,” Clyburn said in his statement. “Congress must review and improve the current administrative procedure for victims to come forward. All harassment and discrimination allegations must be taken seriously.” – The State
Clyburn took to Twitter again tonight to cover his ass:
This is inaccurate in many regards. That discussion had nothing to with Conyers. https://t.co/EWeokwGn50
— James E. Clyburn (@WhipClyburn) November 29, 2017
New York Times reporter Rober Draper responded to Clyburn, refuting his claim that it had “nothing to do with Conyers”.
https://twitter.com/DraperRobert/status/936007181371133952
Liberal rag Buzzfeed, immediately came to Clyburn’s defense:
Clyburn's people dispute this. "That is not accurate. That discussion had nothing to do with Conyers." https://t.co/gqRSuZYi4Z
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) November 29, 2017
Draper refused to back down and stated that his “sourcing is solid on this”. Draper then went on to say, “Further, I’m also told it isn’t the first time Clyburn has used the Susan Smith parallel with reference to Conyers.”
https://twitter.com/DraperRobert/status/936008691752501248
The Black Caucus then came after the New York Timer reporter Robert Draper:
.@RepRichmond: "This is not accurate. @Clyburn used the Smith example to illustrate the dangers of convicting people before getting all the facts. Although Smith killed her kids, she blamed an innocent person & a lot of people believed that innocent person was guilty." 1/2 https://t.co/Rm5NkXk7BY
— The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) November 30, 2017
Again, Draper stood his ground and refused to be bullied by the Black Caucus on this issue:
https://twitter.com/DraperRobert/status/936027194610110470