The House Ethics Committee officially announced an investigation into Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) Monday for sexual misconduct allegations.
The House Ethics Committee told CNN earlier this year they had begun the early stages of an investigation after an April New York Post story alleged the congressman was seen kissing an aide. Gomez said he did not violate any House ethics rules, but acknowledged he had made mistakes in his marriage.
“Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family,” Gomez said in a statement at the time. “Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most.
“I take full responsibility and have committed myself to working through the pain privately with my wife and family,” he wrote. “I sought professional assistance to help re-center and heal the relationships that mean everything to me, and move forward with the honesty, transparency, and respect that everyone deserves from the people they love. I continue to do this work.”
Gomez will face progressive Democrat Angela Gonzales-Torres in November, after he pulled in 46% of the vote earlier this year, with Gonzales-Torres bringing in 30.7%. The state uses a top-two primary, meaning the two candidates that receive the most votes, regardless of party, will go to the November election.
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The House has had a slew of investigations, including a few that led to resignations earlier this year. The talks of revamping workplace culture on Capitol Hill heightened after then-Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) resigned over allegations of sexual misconduct. Swalwell has denied wrongdoing. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) resigned after an ethics panel found her guilty of 25 violations as she faced charges for stealing Federal Emergency Management Agency funds. Cherfilus-McCormick is seeking to reclaim her old seat in Tuesday’s primary.
Reps. Cory Mills (R-FL) and Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) face an uphill reelection after allegations of domestic violence. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) dropped his reelection bid after an ethics report outlining his relationship with two female staffers. All three have denied any wrongdoing.