The amount of bad press that the Democrat leadership has gotten from both sides of the aisle on the John Conyers stories just keeps escalating. Conyers, who is apparently now hospitalized for stress back home in Detroit, has had many colleagues and staff serve up several defenses for his ongoing behaviors.

First, his chief of staff Bob Weiner (yes, his real name), told reporters that Conyers being in his underwear IN HIS OFFICE was a normal occurrence.

Former Conyers spox Bob Weiner tells cameras outside Conyers office:

"He changes clothes in his office. Most of us have walked in on him changing his clothes
… and have seen him in his underwear. Big deal!"

— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) November 28, 2017

I forgot to say Weiner said this is because Conyers' closet is inside his congressional office https://t.co/AeyhFr2FlL

— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) November 28, 2017

Yeah, that explanation doesn’t make it any better.

What the — https://t.co/nKf6Q3Lr0D

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 28, 2017

The second attempt to defend Conyers was a joint effort between his wife, Monica, and Rep. Jim Clyburn. First, Monica Conyers told the press that they were “stalking black people.”

Clyburn went one step further, and made a horrible and racist comparison between the women accusing Conyers, and a child murderer.

Also at this morning's House Democratic caucus: 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 (@DraperRobert) November 29, 2017

Yes, according to 2 sources. One told me Clyburn has used the Susan Smith parallel more than once, to members & staffers. https://t.co/3SjKCzjBh8

— Robert Draper (@DraperRobert) November 29, 2017

Clyburn, for his part, refuted that report, but the sources were not backing off.

This is inaccurate in many regards. That discussion had nothing to with Conyers. https://t.co/EWeokwGn50

— James E. Clyburn (@Clyburn) November 29, 2017

That discussion was specifically & exclusively about Conyers, according to 2 attendees. Who else could you have been referring to when bringing up Susan Smith? https://t.co/MtbIdDbxT7

— Robert Draper (@DraperRobert) November 29, 2017

My sourcing is solid on this. Further, I'm also told it isn't the first time Clyburn has used the Susan Smith parallel with reference to Conyers. https://t.co/vToUxKbgVW

— Robert Draper (@DraperRobert) November 29, 2017

Last night, Conyers, via his office, announced that he won’t seek reelection in 2018.

Conyers will not seek re-election in 2018 https://t.co/Lv7Is0X81A pic.twitter.com/0cCTMskWak

— New York Post (@nypost) November 30, 2017

All these meetings, colleagues apparently talking to Conyers about stepping aside, and THIS was the best that Nancy Pelosi – the supposed leader of the Congressional Democrats – could do?

Translation: Conyers to remain in Congress for extra year following harassment scandal.

Bravo, @NancyPelosi https://t.co/gq8TXUeiNW

— James Hasson (@JamesHasson20) November 30, 2017

Pelosi seems to have realized just how badly she screwed up on Sunday by defending Conyers as an “icon,” because she has definitely changed her tune today.

At her weekly press briefing, Pelosi, D-Calif., called the allegations against Conyers “serious and disappointing.”

“I pray for Congressman Conyers, however, Congressman Conyers should resign,” Pelosi said Thursday. “He has served our Congress and shaped consequential legislation—zero tolerance means consequences for everyone—no matter the great legacy.”

Yeah, too late, Nancy.

Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York said Pelosi’s appearance on “Meet the Press” on Sunday — when she raised questions about the accounts of Conyers’ accusers and described the Michigan Democrat as an “icon” — ceded the party’s moral high ground on sexual harassment issues, especially because one of Conyers’ accusers is bound by a nondisclosure agreement.

“I think that her comments on Sunday set women back and — quite frankly, our party back — decades,” said Rice, who is advocating for legislation that would expose a slew of hidden, taxpayer-funded settlements for sexual harassment by lawmakers and aides.

With Pelosi’s new statement on Conyers, I expect to see more Democrats calling for him to resign, while couching it in terms of his health, his family, his legacy, and his age. Meanwhile, it is important that Congress get Rep. Rice’s legislation – which would reveal which members of Congress used that slush fund from the Office of Compliance – passed, and hold those who used taxpayer money to pay off staff accountable.

Fox has learned bipartisan Hse mbrs will intro bill to compel the House to expose names of lawmakers who had harassment claims paid out with taxpayer dollars. Presser at 3 pm et. Sponsors of the bill: DeSantis, Blackburn, Gabbard & RiceNY

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) November 29, 2017

The sponsors are Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI).
https://twitter.com/jskielb3/status/935951786279604229

Excellent news. Let’s see who votes against this. https://t.co/1IP18vVna5

— David French (@DavidAFrench) November 29, 2017

I hope we’re about to see a lot of skeletons get tossed out on the front lawn of the Capitol Building.