Accused Conyers Hospitalized, Pelosi Says He Should Resign

DETROIT, MI – Rep. John Conyers, the 88-year-old from Detroit who is facing a string of sexual misconduct allegations, was hospitalized overnight, according to a news report. The report of his illness came just as one of his accusers went public with her story on national television.

By late Thursday morning, House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, had called for Conyers, the longest-serving member of in the House of Representatives, to resign, according multiple media outlets.

But Conyers will not resign, said his lawyer, Arnold Reed during a press conference later Thursday.

"First of all, it’s not up to Nancy Pelosi,” Reed said. "That decision will be completely up to the congressman.”

Conyers was at his home in Detroit Wednesday after leaving Washington earlier in the day. Sam Riddle, a political consultant who works with Conyers' wife, Monica Conyers, said Conyers was hospitalized due to stress, according to ClickOnDetroit.com.

"We want you to know that the congressman is resting comfortably in an area hospital," Riddle told reporters Thursday. "He's doing OK, as well as he can be expected for a gentleman that's approaching 90 years of age." Riddle said.

Riddle blamed the media and "serial accusers" for Conyers' condition.

"The congressman's health is not what it should be and lot of that is directly attributable to this media assault," Riddle said.

Earlier on Thursday, one of his accusers, Marion Brown, went public with her claims against Conyers. During an interview on NBC's "Today" show, Brown said Conyers "violated my body, he's touched me in different ways. It was very uncomfortable and very unprofessional." Conyers propositioned her frequently during her 11-year tenure on his staff.

While they were in Chicago for an event in 2005, she said they were alone in a hotel room and he undressed down to his underwear, Brown said during the interview. "He asked me to satisfy to him sexually. He pointed to genital areas of his body and asked me to touch him.

Brown is the same person referenced by online news outlet BuzzFeed News, which last week reported that Conyers had settled a complaint in 2015 from a woman on his staff who alleged she was fired because she rejected his sexual advances.

Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that an ex-staffer, Deanna Maher, said that in 1997 Conyers undressed to his underwear in front of her and twice touched her leg inappropriately.

On Wednesday, with pressure coming from his fellow Democrats for him to resign, Conyer's lawyer Arnold Reed said the lawmaker would fight the allegations against him and not resign his seat. Conyers has denied any wrongdoing.

Pelosi, reportedly, issued a statement saying Conyers should resign.

Conyers, currently the longest serving representative in the nation, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1964.

This is a breaking news story. Refresh this page for updates.

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Photo: John Conyers, D-Mich., during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)