House Speaker Mike Johnson has voiced support for a proposal to prohibit romantic relationships between lawmakers and congressional staffers, calling such relations "inappropriate" and suggesting they should be banned in line with workplace policies in corporate America.
Johnson's remarks came after The New York Post reported on alleged affairs between Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and two House staffers who worked for Democratic lawmakers from Texas. Gallego, who has been described as a close friend of former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has characterized the report as "gossip" but did not dispute the relationships.
Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., chair of the House Republican Conference, is behind the proposed "bright-line rule" to ban sexual and romantic involvement between members of Congress and their employees. Johnson indicated his agreement with McClain's stance, stating, "I think it’s inappropriate, as it would be in any workplace, and most companies have that. We should, at a bare minimum in Congress, have rules and traditions that are adhered to in corporate America."
When asked if the House would move to implement such a rule change during the current Congress, Johnson did not provide a definitive answer.