A Booty Call Agreement [PHIL-OSOPHY]

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the perks of Beacon Hill politicians included taxpayer-funded nondisclosure agreements to settle sexual or other abusive experiences.

Please get that red "censored" sign and stamp it on my forehead for what I'm thinking right now.

I've often felt that hard-working Americans get screwed by all the taxes we're forced to pay, but this nondisclosure issue puts a new twist on that.

Just in case you weren't aware, the Massachusetts House of Representatives supports taxpayer-funded nondisclosure agreements in settlements involving sexual harassment. It's time to ban that fringe benefit, in my opinion, and in the positions of State Senator Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen), Rep. Alyson M. Sullivan (R-Abington), and Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News host who won a landmark sexual harassment settlement against Fox chairman and CEO Roger Ailes.

I can't, for the life of me, understand why Speaker Robert DeLeo and Gov. Baker have been dragging their feet on this. Whose side are they on?

DiZoglio and Sullivan are proposing a bill that would prevent the use of nondisclosure agreements in taxpayer-funded settlements involving sexual harassment.

Do we want to end protecting sexual abuse, or do we want to perpetuate it?

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.