Senior Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are calling for an ethics probe of Rep. John Conyers John James ConyersDem hoping to replace Conyers pushes Trump impeachment Did California's Ro Khanna get duped by Russia's propaganda? Met opera fires conductor after sexual misconduct probe MORE Jr. (D-Mich.) after a report revealed that staffers have accused the senior lawmaker of sexual harassment. 
 
 Reps. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.) and Zoe Lofgren Zoe Ellen LofgrenDems say 20 'poison pills' stand in way of spending deal Democrats propose .7 billion in grants for election security Live coverage: Trump delivers his first State of the Union MORE (Calif.), the second and third most senior Democrats on the powerful committee, respectively, said early Tuesday that the House Ethics Committee should investigate the validity of the BuzzFeed News report published late Monday night. 
 
 "The reports about Congressman Conyers are as serious as they get. The Committee on Ethics should take up this matter immediately with a goal of promptly assessing the validity of the news account. This reported behavior cannot be tolerated in the House of Representatives or anywhere else," Lofgren said in a statement Tuesday morning. 
 
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 Nadler issued a statement around the same time calling the allegations against Conyers "extremely serious and deeply troubling." 
 
 “Obviously, these allegations must be investigated promptly by the Ethics Committee. There can be no tolerance for behavior that subjects women to the kind of conduct alleged," Nadler said. 
 
 BuzzFeed News obtained documents that showed former staff members alleging that Conyers repeatedly made sexual advances to female aides that included requests for sexual favors, touching them inappropriately, and contacting and transporting women with whom he was suspected of having affairs. 
 
 According to BuzzFeed News, Conyers settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with a former employee who alleged he fired her because she would not "succumb to [his] sexual advances." 
 
 Conyers denied the allegations in a statement on Tuesday, but said he would cooperate with an investigation. 
 
 "My office resolved the allegations — with an express denial of liability — in order to save all involved from the rigors of protracted litigation," Conyers said. "There are statutory requirements of confidentiality that apply to both the employee and me regarding this matter. To the extent the House determines to look further at these issues, I will fully cooperate with an investigation." 
 
 According to the report, Conyers's taxpayer-funded office paid a more than $27,000 settlement in exchange for a confidentiality agreement. 
 
 Earlier Tuesday, Conyers had denied to The Associated Press that he had settled any sexual harassment complaints with former staffers. 
 
 Conyers is currently the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and is the longest-serving member of the House. 
 
 Leaders in both parties have so far refrained from calling for him to step down as the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee or to resign altogether. 
 
 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiTrump sends mixed signals on Syria amid calls for action Crowley unlikely to challenge Pelosi as Speaker if Dems take House Trump meets with Pruitt amid growing calls for resignation MORE (D-Calif.) said in a statement to BuzzFeed News that she was not aware of the settlement. 
 
 On Tuesday, Pelosi said members of Congress “have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of the House of Representatives and to ensure a climate of dignity and respect, with zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, bullying or abuse.” 
 
 “As I have said before, any credible allegation of sexual harassment must be investigated by the Ethics Committee,” she said in a statement. “In addition, we must pass the Me Too Congress Act sponsored by Congresswoman Jackie Speier and enact other reforms to advance equity in all workplaces in America.” 
 
 The bill introduced by Speier (D-Calif.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Elizabeth GillibrandDems slam FCC head for proposed limits to low-income internet program Congress should raise PAC contribution limits Female senators demand changes to workplace misconduct rules MORE (D-N.Y.) would overhaul the system available through the Office of Compliance to report harassment and mandate sexual harassment awareness training for members and staff. 
 
 Monetary settlements for harassment and discrimination cases on Capitol Hill are typically paid from a special fund operated by the Treasury Department. The Speier–Gillibrand bill would require lawmakers accused of harassment to pay back the taxpayers. 
 
 Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanTrump sends mixed signals on Syria amid calls for action Ryan: ‘Responsible nations’ can’t tolerate chemical attack in Syria House GOP super PAC contacts more than 300K voters in midterm push MORE (R-Wis.) also issued a statement calling the allegations against Conyers "extremely troubling" and reiterated his support for reforming the House's sexual harassment prevention policies. But he also did not say whether Conyers should stay or go. 
 
 If Conyers were to relinquish his position on the Judiciary Committee, Lofgren and Nadler would be the most likely contenders to replace him. 
 
 Conyers previously served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee from 2007 to 2011. Before that, he chaired the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee from 1989 to 1995. 
 
 This report was updated at 2:27 p.m. ||||| FILE- In this April 4, 2017, file photo, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., speaks during a hearing of the House Judiciary subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Buzzfeed, a news website, is reporting that... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE- In this April 4, 2017, file photo, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., speaks during a hearing of the House Judiciary subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Buzzfeed, a news website, is reporting that... (Associated Press) 
 
 DETROIT (AP) — Longtime Michigan Rep. John Conyers on Tuesday denied settling a complaint in 2015 from a woman who alleged she was fired from his Washington staff because she rejected his sexual advances. 
 
 The website BuzzFeed News reported on Monday that the office of Conyers, 88, paid the woman over $27,000 to settle the complaint under a confidentiality agreement. 
 
 BuzzFeed also published affidavits from former staff members who said they had witnessed Conyers touching female staffers inappropriately — rubbing their legs and backs — or requesting sexual favors. One former staffer said one of her duties was "to keep a list of women that I assumed he was having affairs with and call them at his request and, if necessary, have them flown in using Congressional resources." 
 
 Conyers, who answered the door at his Detroit home, told The Associated Press that he knows nothing about any claims of inappropriate touching and learned of the story from television just hours earlier. 
 
 "I have been looking at these things in amazement," he said, referring to allegations of sexual harassment and assault being made against politicians and others. 
 
 House Speaker Paul Ryan labeled the report "extremely troubling." Ryan, R-Wis., said the House is updating its policies for handling complaints of workplace harassment and discrimination, which have been criticized as too weak and cumbersome. His statement did not name Conyers, but Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong confirmed it was directed at him. 
 
 "People who work in the House deserve and are entitled to a workplace without harassment or discrimination," Ryan said. 
 
 BuzzFeed said it received the documents from right-wing activist Mike Cernovich, but independently confirmed their authenticity. Cernovich said he gave the documents to BuzzFeed News because Democrats would "try to discredit the story by attacking the messenger" if he published them himself. 
 
 Conyers is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and the longest-serving current member of the House, having arrived in 1965. Calls to Conyers and his office seeking comment were not immediately returned Monday night. 
 
 The government has paid more than $17 million in taxpayer money over the last 20 years to resolve claims of sexual harassment, overtime pay disputes and other workplace violations filed by employees of Congress. The Office of Compliance released the numbers amid a wave of revelations of sexual misconduct in the worlds of entertainment, business and politics that made its way to Capitol Hill last week. Two female lawmakers described incidents of sexual harassment, one in explicit detail, and Minnesota Sen. Al Franken apologized to a woman who said he forcibly kissed her and groped her during a 2006 USO tour. 
 
 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Monday that she was unaware of the settlement by Conyers. 
 
 "The current process includes the signing of non-disclosure agreements by the parties involved," Pelosi said in a statement. "Congresswoman Jackie Speier has introduced legislation that will provide much-needed transparency on these agreements and make other critical reforms. I strongly support her efforts." ||||| Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanTrump vows to stand with House GOP '1,000 percent' on immigration Heckler yells ‘Mr. President, f--- you’ as Trump arrives at Capitol Hoyer: GOP centrists 'sold out' Dreamers MORE (R-Wis.) on Tuesday said that allegations of serial sexual harassment against Rep. John Conyers John James ConyersPortland activist stages ‘reparations happy hour’ Conyers III won't appear on primary ballot in race to replace his father Conyers's son in danger of missing ballot in Michigan MORE Jr. (D-Mich.) are "extremely troubling" and reiterated his support for reforming the system available to staff to report complaints. 
 
 BuzzFeed reported late Monday night that multiple former staff members allege Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the powerful House Judiciary Committee, has repeatedly made sexual advances toward female staff. 
 
 Ryan recently directed the House Administration Committee to review Capitol Hill's policies and procedures regarding workplace harassment and discrimination. He announced after a House Administration Committee hearing last week on the issue that sexual harassment awareness training would be required for all members and staff. 
 
 “This report is extremely troubling," Ryan said in a statement. 
 
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 "Additional reforms to the system are under consideration as the committee continues its review. People who work in the House deserve and are entitled to a workplace without harassment or discrimination," the Speaker added. 
 
 BuzzFeed reported that Conyers settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with a former staffer who alleged she was fired because she would not “succumb to [his] sexual advances.” 
 
 The settlement of more than $27,000 came from Conyers's office budget, rather than the special fund operated by the Treasury Department for harassment and discrimination settlements handled by the congressional Office of Compliance. 
 
 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiMadeleine Albright slams Trump over immigration Pelosi: GOP is 'complicit' in separating families Conservative groups outline new ObamaCare repeal plan MORE (D-Calif.) told BuzzFeed that she was not aware of the settlement. 
 
 “The current process includes the signing of non-disclosure agreements by the parties involved. Congresswoman Jackie Speier has introduced legislation that will provide much-needed transparency on these agreements and make other critical reforms,” Pelosi said in the statement. “I strongly support her efforts.” 
 
 Under the current process run by the Office of Compliance, victims must undergo months of counseling and mediation with the employing office before filing a complaint. They can either file a complaint in court or seek an administrative hearing that can lead to a monetary settlement. 
 
 The Office of Compliance would further have to publish the names of the offices involved in cases with settlements on its website.
– Michigan Rep. John Conyers confirms that he did indeed pay a settlement to a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct, though he continues to deny the allegations. "My office resolved the allegations—with an express denial of liability—in order to save all involved from the rigors of protracted litigation," said Conyers in a statement, per NPR. "That should not be lost in the narrative." Conyers, who "vehemently" denied the allegations, also promised to cooperate with any congressional investigation that ensues. The statement came hours after the AP reported that the Democratic congressman had denied paying any such settlement. In fact, Conyers told an AP reporter that he learned about the accusations of sexual misconduct when many other people did: Tuesday morning, while watching television. In that interview, he denied BuzzFeed's report that he settled a complaint from a former female staffer in 2015 for $27,000. "I have been looking at these [allegations] in amazement," said the 88-year-old, who is accused in the report of repeatedly making advances on female staffers and firing one for refusing those advances. The Hill reports Paul Ryan earlier called the report "extremely troubling" and noted "additional reforms to the system [for reporting complaints] are under consideration." Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats support an ethics investigation of the complaints, per the AP and the Hill.