North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards Sends Letter Defending Conduct Amid Ethics Committee Findings

North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards distributed a 22-page letter to colleagues in which he denied that his interactions with female staffers constituted sexual misconduct. The letter was sent after a House Ethics Committee report concluded there was “substantial evidence” that Edwards engaged in “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct” toward two young female employees and recommended censure. The full House is expected to vote on the resolution next month.

Edwards argued that “an affectionate friendship is not a sexual proposition” and that gifts, compliments, poetry and socializing with colleagues do not violate House rules. He also noted that the committee found he neither engaged in sexual activity nor explicitly propositioned any staff member.

The Ethics Committee’s investigation documented that the two female staffers received numerous gifts from Edwards, including jewelry, designer purses, firearms, shoes, a laptop, a KitchenAid mixer, a robotic vacuum, vacations, tickets to performances and one-on-one dinners. One staffer said she felt “obligated to wear” a necklace Edwards gave her and that he expressed disappointment when she did not.

Under current House rules, members are prohibited from having romantic or sexual relationships with employees they supervise and from making unwelcome sexual advances. A spokesperson for Edwards did not respond to a request for comment.