The House Ethics Committee has recommended censuring Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., following an investigation that concluded he violated the chamber's code of conduct by sexually harassing two young female staffers.
The committee's report detailed a pattern of "persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct" by Edwards, including offering lavish gifts, making comments about staffers' appearance, and inviting them on intimate dinners and vacations. While Edwards denied his actions were sexual or romantic advances, the committee found a reasonable observer could interpret them as such.
Specific incidents cited in the report include Edwards commenting on the staffers' appearance, calling them "pretty" or "breathtaking," and remarking on one staffer's weight. Edwards defended these comments, stating he was only commenting on clothing and that not doing so would be an "insult."
Further allegations indicate Edwards wrote poems for one staffer, reading one aloud at her farewell party accompanied by a slideshow, during which he reportedly cried. Several staffers present at the event testified they felt uncomfortable, a sentiment Edwards acknowledged in his own testimony.
The committee also noted that while Edwards cooperated with the probe, some messages deemed relevant were "omitted and/or seemingly deleted from his phone."
Edwards, a Republican representing North Carolina's 11th congressional district, has served in the House of Representatives since 2021. The recommendation for censure, if adopted by the full House, would represent a formal reprimand of his conduct.