House ethics panel recommends censure for Chuck Edwards

The House Ethics Committee recommended Monday that Rep. Chuck Edwards be censured after finding that the North Carolina Republican engaged in “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers,” while stopping short of finding that he violated federal sexual harassment law.

In a report released after a months-long investigation, the bipartisan committee said there was “substantial reason to believe” Edwards violated House rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces. The panel said Edwards “violated the House Code of Official Conduct by failing to adhere to the spirit of rules prohibiting sexual harassment of and unwanted advances to House staffers.”

The committee recommended that the full House censure Edwards and said it would bring a privileged resolution before the chamber. CBS News reported that the House is set to return from recess late this month. NBC News reported that because the House is on its long summer recess, a censure vote could not happen until September at the earliest.

The report was issued by the Ethics Committee, led by Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., and ranking member Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif. The committee said Edwards denied that any of his actions were intended to be sexual or romantic. It also said he cooperated with the investigation and agreed to waive procedures allowing the panel to recommend a sanction on the House floor.

The panel said it found no evidence that Edwards “engaged in sexual activity with or explicitly propositioned any individual under his employ.” It also concluded that the allegations did not involve quid pro quo sexual harassment or violate federal sexual harassment law.

But the committee said Edwards’ conduct still crossed a line.

“His pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together,” the report said.

The committee described the two staffers as young women who were “subject to increasingly unusual attention from the Congressman while they worked for him, creating an environment where both they and their coworkers felt uncomfortable.”

“Both women were uncomfortable with his behavior (which they attempted to communicate) but were put in an untenable position by virtue of his status as their boss and a Member of Congress,” the report said.

The panel added that Edwards was aware “that his excessive attention toward the young women had led to rumors and innuendo in the office.” It said he was “at minimum blind to that reality, and at worst, dismissive of the impact his inappropriate conduct had on the careers and wellbeing of two women on his staff.”

As part of its investigation, the committee said it sought documentary evidence from multiple sources, reviewed nearly 1,500 pages of evidence and conducted 16 witness interviews, including with Edwards. NBC News reported that the committee also released a 60-page appendix containing messages between Edwards and the two women and photos of gifts he gave them.

Edwards’ office referred a request for comment to his campaign, which did not immediately respond, according to NBC News. Edwards previously called the allegations “baseless” and said in a May statement to NBC News that he welcomed an investigation.

Edwards has represented North Carolina in the House since 2023. The Ethics Committee announced in May that it was investigating his conduct after Axios first reported that he had singled out two young staffers for special attention.

In its conclusion, the committee said the report should hold Edwards accountable “for his poor judgment and unbecoming conduct” and “serve as a caution to all Members that sexual harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated in the House.”