A former intern for outgoing Rep. John Conyers says the Michigan Democrat propositioned her, and when she rebuffed his advances, he brought up a Washington, D.C. intern who had mysteriously disappeared.
Courtney Morse, now 36, told the Washington Post she was a 20-year-old student when she accepted an internship with Conyers' office. One night, he offered to drive her home, and once they arrived, he "wrapped his hand around hers as it rested in her lap, and told her he was interested in a sexual relationship."
Morse reports that when she declined, Conyers suddenly brought up a then-unsolved disappearance of federal intern Chandra Levy. At the time, police believed Levy's disappearance may have been tied to an affair with Democratic Rep. Gary Condit. Condit was ultimately cleared after authorities charged a suspect with the intern's murder.
"He said he had insider information on the case. I don't know if he meant it to be threatening, but I took it that way," she told the Post. "I got out of the car and ran."
Matthew Salomon, a member of the family Levy was staying with at the time, backed up Morse's version of events. He told the Post he approached Conyer's car to confront him, but the congressman drove away.
Conyers announced his immediate retirement Tuesday after the reemergence of multiple accusations of sexual harassment from former staffers. In his speech, Conyers insisted his "legacy can't be compromised or diminished in any way."