Story highlights Bob Weiner served as Conyers' communications director from 1994 to 2000

Weiner defended Conyers' "surly moments" with staffers

(CNN) A former top communications aide to Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan offered a defense of his former boss amid Tuesday growing allegations of sexual harassment, saying it wasn't uncommon for staffers to accidentally see the congressman in his underwear.

One former employee, Melanie Sloan, came forward with allegations last week, including one instance where Conyers called her to his office when he was in his underwear

"I was pretty taken aback to see my boss half-dressed," she told The Washington Post. "I turned on my heel and I left."

Bob Weiner, who served as Conyers' communications director from 1994 to 2000, spoke to reporters and photographers assembled outside the Congressman's office, disputing Sloan's allegations.

"Something else that people need to know: his closet is in his office right here. He changes clothes in his office. Most of us have walked in on him accidentally without knocking and have seen him in his underwear. Big deal. That's where his closet is, he changes his clothes there. So to say that somebody came to a meeting and that's how it was, that's an untrue statement. That is the kind of thing that needs to be explored before there's any acceptance to that kind of an allegation," Weiner said, later clarifying that all members of Congress have closets in their offices.

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