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Conyers's Lawyer Promises 'If This Nonsense Continues, This Is Just a Harbinger of What's to Come'

December 1, 2017

Rep. John Conyers' (D., Mich.) lawyer, Arnold Reed, promised reporters during a news conference on Friday that if the "nonsense" surrounding his client continues, it's "just a harbinger of what's to come."

"This, ladies and gentlemen, I promise you, if this nonsense continues, this is just a harbinger of what's to come," Reed said while defending the congressman during the press conference in Detroit.

Marion Brown, a former staffer to Conyers, revealed herself this week to be one of the accusers. In a Thursday interview with the "Today Show," she alleged Conyers violated her body and would frequently proposition her for sex.

Reed pushed back against the allegations and showed several signed statements of former Conyers staffers that stated they didn't witness any harassment or sexual misconduct from the congressman.

"Mr. Campbell indicates that he never saw anything and verified that the congressman hired the accuser's daughter. But there became a problem–all hell broke loose–when the congressman fired the daughter. And then, all of a sudden, we get this sexual harassment, sexual allegation problem. Here's the 'predator' that she's talking about at the Barrister's Ball, 2011 Barrister's Ball," Reed said as he held up a photograph that appeared to be of Conyers and Brown next to each other, posing for a picture.

"She [Brown] said that he took every opportunity during hours to harass her. 'He was an animal.' But you boo'd up with him at the Barrister's Ball? You want to get angry and mad when the congressman defends himself?" Reed continued.

Reed said this was a "harbinger" of things to come.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, I promise you, if this nonsense continues, this is just a harbinger of what's to come," Reed said while defending the congressman.

Reed continued on to thank those in the media who were being "fair" and trying to get the "other side of the story."

"I want to thank all the media who are here, who have been fair and trying to get the other side of the story, because there is another side of the story," Reed said.

Conyers will decide whether to resign or stay in Congress within the next couple of days, according to his lawyer.

"We will discuss in the next day or so what Mr. Conyers plans to do," Reed said on Friday. "As you know, his health is not the best, is not what it should be. He has undergone a second round of examinations. I will meet and confer with doctors and it will be Congressman John Conyers who will be the one to decide what it is he’s going to do."

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) on Thursday called on Conyers to resign.

"I pray for Congressman Conyers and his family and wish them well," Pelosi said. "However, Congressman Conyers should resign."