The House Ethics Committee has recommended that Rep. Chuck Edwards be censured for what it called “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct” toward two young female staffers.
In a bipartisan 20-page report released Monday, the panel said it found no evidence that Edwards propositioned the staffers or engaged in sexual activity with them. Still, investigators concluded his conduct created a hostile work environment and warranted censure, the strongest sanction short of expulsion.
According to the report, Edwards told investigators he believed he understood what sexual harassment is and that by avoiding inappropriate physical contact and explicit sexual remarks, and by sometimes saying staffers could set boundaries with him, he had protected himself from such accusations. The committee rejected that view, saying those steps did not prevent the conduct it found to be troubling.
The investigation cataloged repeated behavior toward the two women, including frequent and pricey gifts—jewelry totaling more than $1,000, designer purses, a KitchenAid mixer, a laptop and phone, shoes, flowers, vacations, guns, and one-on-one dinners—as well as comments about their appearance, intimate invitations, and notes expressing his affection.
The report says both staffers tried to convey discomfort about his behavior, and a senior staffer eventually raised concerns with Edwards on their behalf. That senior staffer testified that Edwards, 65, told her she did not “understand the unique relationship” he believed he had with the younger staffers.
Edwards, who took office in 2023, cooperated with the inquiry. The committee’s investigation included 16 witness interviews and review of more than 1,500 pages of evidence. The committee voted to issue the report on July 22.
In a written rebuttal attached to the report, Edwards’ lawyers said the panel failed to show the staffers had clearly expressed discomfort to their boss and argued the congressman was denied the opportunity to fully challenge the factual allegations under House rules. They also said Edwards “sincerely regrets that his behavior created discomfort” for either staffer.
The House is on recess now, so any formal censure would not occur until at least September. A censure, delivered on the House floor, is a formal public rebuke and the most severe punishment short of expulsion.