The House of Representatives censured Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) on Tuesday following a recommendation from the House Ethics Committee, which found he engaged in "unprofessional and inappropriate conduct" toward two young female staffers. The vote, which passed 413-2, marks the strongest punishment the House can impose short of expulsion.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) read a formal reprimand to Edwards in the well of the House after the vote. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Edwards were the only members to vote against the censure resolution.
Edwards offered an apology during an 11-minute speech, stating, "I am sorry" to the two women who were central to the ethics investigation. He expressed regret that his actions, judgment, or the way he expressed friendship may have put them in an uncomfortable position, adding, "My intentions were only grounded in what I understood our friendship to be, and in genuine admiration and respect that I had for each of you." He acknowledged that his understanding of those relationships may not have always matched theirs.
He also apologized to his wife and family for the embarrassment and scrutiny they endured. However, Edwards maintained that he did not engage in wrongdoing. "Regret is not an admission of sexual harassment," he stated. "I can acknowledge poor judgment, regret the discomfort that some of my actions may have caused, and apologize to those who were hurt by this episode, while still disputing a conclusion that the evidence just simply does not support."
Edwards highlighted that the ethics committee's findings did not include sexual activity, explicit propositions, quid-pro-quo harassment, or violations of federal sexual harassment law. He asserted that his relationships with the staffers were reciprocal, citing gifts and invitations exchanged and a history predating their time in Congress. He claimed the committee disregarded evidence of this long-standing relationship.
According to the ethics committee report, Edwards, 65, a married father and grandfather, went beyond professional norms by giving both women lavish gifts, commenting on their appearance, and inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations. At the time of these interactions, both aides were in their early 20s.
Specific instances cited in the report include Edwards arranging for a professional singer to perform at one staffer's birthday party, presenting it as a gift from "a special someone," which reportedly led the staffer to believe he did not view her as a "daughter figure" and made her "scared lowkey." He also paid for that staffer and a friend to travel to New York City for tickets to the musical "Hamilton" after she experienced a breakup.
Other gifts reportedly included jewelry exceeding $1,000, designer purses, guns, shoes, flowers, a laptop, a cell phone, a KitchenAid mixer, a robotic vacuum, vacation expenses, and tickets to performances. He also discussed visiting strip clubs with one staffer and sent personal texts late at night. He read a poem and showed a slideshow during a going-away party for one staffer, during which he cried, making other staffers present feel uncomfortable.
Edwards, who has represented North Carolina's 11th District since 2023, announced earlier this month that he would not seek re-election. He previously defeated Rep. Madison Cawthorn in the 2022 primary.