The House Ethics Committee announced it is investigating Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina after allegations that he created a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment. The panel said Thursday it would not make additional public comment about the matter, adding that announcing the review does not, by itself, signal that a violation occurred.
Edwards, who is serving his second term in the House, said he welcomed the inquiry and planned to fully cooperate with the committee. In response to the committee’s decision, Edwards said, “I am confident the investigation will expose the facts, not politically motivated fiction.”
The investigation follows reporting by Axios that said three sources told the publication they witnessed conduct by Edwards toward two female staffers in their 20s that they described as inappropriate. Axios said the sources’ accounts included that Edwards’ behavior crossed professional boundaries and created an uncomfortable work environment, and it said the sources were granted anonymity to protect against retaliation.
The Ethics Committee’s announcement positioned its action as a review process rather than a determination. The committee said it would make no further public comment on the matter and said the act of disclosing the review does not by itself indicate that any violation occurred.
The ethics investigation arrives amid heightened scrutiny of lawmakers’ behavior toward female staffers, following the resignations of Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, both of whom had faced calls for their expulsion before they stepped down.