Another Democrat is explaining why a settlement was made with taxpayer money to quell accusations against his office by a former employee.

What were the accusations?

The Washington Examiner unearthed the accusations against Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) by a former staffer who was then paid a "severance package" of over $48,000, despite only having worked a few months for the congressman.

According to the Examiner, the staffer threatened to sue the congressman for creating a hostile work environment because he was frequently drunk.

Was this part of the $17 million Congressional slush fund?

No. The settlement had to do with the recently reported $17.2 million of settlements reached through the Office of Compliance to hide accusations of sexual harassment against members of Congress and other government employees.

Were the accusations settled with taxpayer money?

Yes. The settlement was made in a form of a "severance package," even though the woman had only worked with his office for a few months. This is a sign that he was using a method of settlement to keep the accusations quiet and out of the headlines.

The settlement was made through the House Employment Counsel, an entity that acts as the attorney for all congressional offices.