Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

Detroit, MI – Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) today released the following statement:

“After careful consideration and in light of the attention drawn by recent allegations made against me, I have notified the Democratic Leader of my request to step aside as Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee during the investigation of these matters.

“I deny these allegations, many of which were raised by documents reportedly paid for by a partisan alt-right blogger. I very much look forward to vindicating myself and my family before the House Committee on Ethics.

“To be clear, I would like very much to remain as Ranking Member. There is still much work to be done on core concerns like securing civil rights, enacting meaningful criminal justice reform, and protecting access to the ballot box. These challenges could not be more pressing in the face of an Administration that cares little for the rule of law and a President whose actions and conduct cheapens our discourse every day.

“But I have come to believe that my presence as Ranking Member on the Committee would not serve these efforts while the Ethics Committee investigation is pending. I cannot in good conscience allow these charges to undermine my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus, and my friends on both sides of the aisle in the Judiciary Committee and the House of Representatives.

“I am proud and fortunate to be part of a legacy of more than 50 years of fighting for civil rights and making our country more equitable and just. I will never allow that legacy – a legacy I owe to my father John Conyers, Sr., who integrated labor unions, or my two amazing sons John III and Carl and my loving wife Monica, and the extraordinary people of Detroit – to be cast aside, or these causes to be in any way diminished.

“I am grateful to my colleagues who have called for due process before weighing judgment. I would urge them to continue to do so for any Member accused of wrongdoing. Basic fairness requires no less.”

Folks, this is the same policy that was strictly enforced, at the request of Senate GOP, throughout President Obama’s eight years in office.

PRESERVE THE SENATE’S CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE TO PROVIDE ADVICE AND CONSENT ON JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS Congressional Black Caucus Chair, Cedric L. Richmond, Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers Jr., and CBC Judicial…

Last night, in a letter sent by the Department to Chairman Goodlatte—without so much as a copy to the Ranking Member, by the way—the Assistant Attorney General seems to leave the door open to appointing a new special counsel to cater to the President’s political needs. The fact that this letter was sent to the Majority, without the customary and appropriate notice to me, indicates that the charge given to Department officials to evaluate these issues has political motivations. Now, in his own words, the Attorney General is recused “from any questions involving . . . investigations that involve Secretary Clinton.” Further, we cannot refer an investigation to a second special counsel if we lack the evidence to predicate a criminal investigation in the first place. Virtually every Clinton-related matter that President Trump complains about has been well-litigated, carefully examined, and completely debunked. Still, to quote former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, “putting political opponents in jail for offenses committed in a political setting . . . is something that we don’t do here.” The threat alone resembles, in his words, “a banana republic.”

Sessions considering second special counsel to investigate Republican concerns, letter shows The attorney general has directed senior federal prosecutors to look into a medley of concerns raised by conservatives, including dealings of the Clinton Foundation.

"In the ordinary course of business, any one of a dozen topics related to the Department of Justice would be worthy of its own hearing.
And, to be clear, I would rather spend our time today discussing the upkeep of the criminal justice system, the enforcement of civil rights, and the work we must all do to ensure access to the ballot box.
Instead, we must spend our time debating the troubles of a wayward Administration: how the Attorney General conducts himself before Congress, how President Trump undermines the integrity of the justice system, and how the Department continues to ignore the oversight requests of this Committee."

CONYERS STATEMENT ON OVERSIGHT OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers Jr. (D-MI.) delivered the following remarks during the House Judiciary…

I am incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of my friend, Judge Anna Diggs Taylor. My prayers go to her family and friends in this difficult time. https://conyers.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/conyers-statement-passing-judge-anna-diggs-taylor
http://www.freep.com/story/news/2017/11/06/trailblazer-detroit-federal-judge-anna-diggs-taylor-dies/836141001/

CONYERS STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF JUDGE ANNA DIGGS TAYLOR Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13), released the following statement on the death of Detroit federal Judge Anna Diggs Taylor: “I am incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of my good friend Judge Anna Diggs Taylor. Judge Taylor was a pioneer who blazed a trail for count...

A ground invasion of North Korea would prove catastrophic and result in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of deaths. That is why I am proud to join 16 of my colleagues to ensure that we exhaust all options before resorting to military conflict.

CONYERS JOINS BIPARTISAN 16 VETERAN MEMBER STATEMENT ON DANGERS OF GROUND INVASION IN NORTH KOREA Washington, D.C. – Korean War veteran Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), issued a bipartisan joint statement with fellow veterans Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Rep. Carbajal (D-CA), Rep. DeFazio (D-OR), Rep. Brown (D-MD), Rep. Rus...