Fresh Allegations In Washington Sex Scandal (Press, 15 June 1976)

On 15 June 1976, Colleen Gardner, a former Congressional staff member, disclosed troubling information about a sex scandal involving members of the United States Congress. Gardner shared that several male staffers were coerced into homosexual activities by their Congressional employers, though she did not reveal specific names or the number of individuals involved. Just a week prior, she had alleged that her former employer had paid her a substantial salary without assigning her meaningful work, suggesting that the arrangement was fundamentally exploitative. Gardner, speaking from her lawyer's apartment, expressed her belief that both men and women were victims of a system that oppressed them sexually and in other ways, noting that men often worked in servile positions. Nonetheless, she observed that female staff members experienced a higher frequency of sexual encounters than their male counterparts. The scandal had gained traction following allegations made by Elizabeth Ray, who first exposed the controversial sexual practices within Congress. Ray has indicated her willingness to undergo a lie detector test and provide access to her private diaries to support her claims. The allegations have implicated several Democrats, including Senator Mike Gravel from Alaska, and two members of the House of Representatives, Wayne Hays from Ohio and John Young from Texas, all of whom have denied any criminal conduct. Another House member, Alan Howe from Utah, was arrested for allegedly soliciting sex from undercover police officers disguised as prostitutes. Howe asserted his innocence, claiming he was the victim of entrapment. In conjunction with the investigation, Ray has agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in exchange for avoidance of charges as long as her testimony is truthful. Reports have emerged that she possesses incriminating documents stored in a bank safe-deposit box, which authorities plan to inspect with FBI agents present. Ray also stated that she had sexual relations with Senator Gravel on the houseboat owned by her former supervisor, Kenneth Gray, who had purportedly encouraged her to engage with the senator for political backing. Both Gravel and Gray have denied these allegations, while Gardner has corroborated Ray's presence on the houseboat during the incident. Meanwhile, a source within the investigation, possibly connected to Congress, has been aiding the FBI by providing information on another woman who allegedly had sexual relations with Hays in exchange for a position on the Congressional payroll. The investigation has also extended to Hays’s use of government funds during overseas trips, with allegations of misusing expenses to purchase valuable items. Hays has been reported in hospital recovering from an overdose of sleeping pills, and his office has countered the accusations by stating he can prove his personal payments for the contested items.

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