House Censures Rep. Chuck Edwards Over Inappropriate Conduct Toward Staffers
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The U.S. House voted 413-2 to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards after an ethics investigation found his behavior toward two female staffers created a hostile work environment.
The House approved a censure of Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., on Tuesday after a House Ethics Committee investigation concluded he engaged in persistent unprofessional conduct toward two young female staffers. The 413-2 vote reflects the chamber’s disapproval of conduct that falls short of expulsion but violates workplace standards.
Committee chairman Rep. Michael Guest said the case did not involve a "quid pro quo" sexual-harassment scheme but did create a hostile environment. > "While Representative Edwards denies that his conduct was intended to be sexual or romantic, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable person to interpret it as such," Guest said. Guest cited lavish gifts, comments on appearance, personal notes, and invitations to intimate dinners and vacations, noting Edwards knew the women were uncomfortable.
Edwards apologized to the former aides, stating his intentions were based on what he perceived as friendship, and also expressed regret to his wife and family. He rejected the committee’s recommendation for censure, emphasizing that the report found no evidence of sexual activity or explicit propositions. > "I am imperfect. I have made mistakes, but I do not believe I committed sexual harassment," Edwards said on the House floor.
The North Carolina representative, who is not seeking reelection, joins a series of recent ethics cases in Congress. Earlier this year, Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzales faced expulsion calls before stepping down, and Rep. Jimmy Gomez is under review for alleged inappropriate contact with a staffer. The Ethics Committee’s investigation of Edwards spanned more than four months, included interviews with 16 people and review of nearly 1,500 pages of documents, and found he gave jewelry, designer purses, shoes and flowers, and sent personal letters to the staffers. > "These are not innocuous, isolated instances," ranking Democrat Rep. Mark DeSaulnier said. > "They are part of a sustained, unprofessional and inappropriate conduct by Representative Edwards toward two young women he employed."
Democratic Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez described the behavior as "outlandish and disturbing" and warned that failure to act would deny the women justice.