Ethics panel suggests censure for Rep. Edwards in sex harassment probe
· UPIAug. 3 (UPI) -- The House Ethics Committee on Monday recommended the censure of Rep. Chuck Edwards over allegations that he violated the "spirit" of sexual harassment policies.
The recommendations stem from Edwards' "highly unprofessional" treatment of two female staffers, one 19-years-old and another in her 20s, who had first worked with him when he was a state senator in North Carolina.
Edwards, R-N.C., hired them to work in Washington when he was elected to the U.S. House in 2023.
In a 25-page report, investigators said "both young women were subject to increasingly unusual attention from the congressman while they worked for him, creating an environment where both they and their coworkers felt uncomfortable."
Edward allegedly gave the women lavish gifts, including jewelry worth more than $1,000, purses, guns, vacations and tickets to the Broadway show Hamilton.
He also commented on their appearances in his congressional office, telling them they looked "pretty" or "breathtaking," the report said.
"The Committee identified numerous specific instances in which Representative Edwards engaged in conduct towards Staffer 1 or Staffer 2 that was highly unprofessional, made the women feel uncomfortable, and/or gave the appearance of a sexual or romantic advance," the Ethics Committee said.
The committee added that, "taken individually, many of Representative Edwards' actions were at minimum inappropriate."
"A Member of Congress should not single out a staffer and isolate them from other staff, make frequent comments regarding that person's appearance and weight, send messages in the middle of the night, text staff deeply personal and seemingly romantic thoughts, intrude on personal occasions without invitation, pay for personal vacations, and spend thousands of dollars on gifts for staffers," the report continued.
"That Representative Edwards did all these things to two young staffers, repeatedly over a sustained period, was beyond inappropriate."
In recommending censure, the Ethics Committee said there is "substantial evidence" that Edwards, who is married, "violated the spirit of the House's prohibition on sexual harassment and unwanted advances."
In response to the findings, Edwards' lawyers said the committee concluded he "neither engaged in sexual activity with nor explicitly propositioned any individual staff member."
"The Committee also concluded that the allegations in this matter do not implicate quid pro quo sexual harassment," the lawyers wrote. "The Committee also concluded that Representative Edwards did not violate federal sexual harassment law."