Fight Over Sexual Misconduct Cases in Congress Set to Intensify as New Probes and Records Surface

The dispute over how Congress handles allegations of sexual misconduct is entering a sharper, more contentious phase as new investigations and documents come to light. Two lawmakers reportedly left office last month amid accusations, and several current members now face fresh scrutiny that could reinvigorate calls for accountability and reform.

What’s Driving the Latest Scrutiny

For much of this year, attention focused on three high-profile figures — Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) — allegations that the report says led to the departure of the first two last month. Recent reporting and a subpoena-driven release of records have broadened the debate, revealing that congressional offices once used a taxpayer-backed Treasury fund to settle sexual misconduct claims.

New Allegations and Ongoing Ethics Inquiries

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) has emerged as a central figure in the latest wave of allegations. Reports in NOTUS and Axios say the House Ethics Committee is investigating claims that Edwards engaged in inappropriate conduct with female staffers, including sending personal gifts — jewelry and a custom puzzle — and leaving a three-page handwritten note that said he felt joy and meaning from their time together. Edwards, 65, has denied wrongdoing, calling the accusations "more horses---" in a colorful remark to reporters.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), both of whom played prominent roles in earlier efforts to remove members accused of misconduct, have pressed for stronger action. Mace has introduced a resolution to expel Rep. Cory Mills amid allegations ranging from campaign finance irregularities to personal misconduct; Mills denies the accusations and faces no criminal charges.

Taxpayer-Funded Settlements Resurface

Mace led a subpoena of the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), producing records that show the offices of six former House members paid more than $300,000 from a now-discontinued Treasury fund to settle sexual misconduct claims. Those offices include the former members Rodney Alexander (R-La.), Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), Eric Massa (D-N.Y.), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) and Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.). Some of those settlements had been publicly reported previously; others had not.

Ethics Committee Activity and Transparency Questions

The House Ethics Committee disclosed last month that it has conducted 20 investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct by members since 2017 and published a roll listing 28 publicly disclosed matters. The language in that release suggests several additional investigations may not have been publicly named. Reporting also indicates that NOTUS identified two other lawmakers — Reps. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) — as having been the subject of inquiries that the committee later closed without finding evidence, according to a spokesperson.

What’s Next

As the House returns from its spring recess, the dispute over how to handle these allegations is likely to escalate on multiple fronts: calls for immediate expulsions by some members and victims’ advocates; resistance from leaders urging that the Ethics Committee finish investigations before formal punishments; and renewed scrutiny of past settlements paid with public funds. The outcome will shape congressional policy on workplace misconduct and transparency for months to come.

Note: All allegations referenced in this article are reported as such. Some individuals named have denied wrongdoing and not all inquiries have resulted in findings or charges.