The House Ethics Committee recommended the censure of Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) on Monday, stating the lawmaker had failed “to adhere to the spirit of rules prohibiting sexual harassment of and unwanted advances to House staffers.”
Edwards has been under scrutiny for months after reports alleged that he had made unwanted advances toward female staffers in his office. He has denied the allegations.
“The Committee found that Representative Edwards engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers,” the committee report recommending censure reads.
“While Representative Edwards denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such,” the report continues, “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.”
UNDER THE RADAR PRIMARY RACES YOU SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THREE MONTHS UNTIL MIDTERM ELECTIONS
The Ethics Committee recommended that the full House vote to censure Edwards for his conduct but did not propose expulsion from the chamber. The last member of Congress to be censured was Rep. Al Green (D-TX) for disturbing President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress last year.
The call to censure Edwards comes as three House lawmakers have already resigned this year — California Democrat Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales, who were both accused of sexual misconduct, and Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who was accused of financial misconduct.