House Ethics panel investigating Chuck Edwards for sexual misconduct

The House Ethics Committee officially announced it is investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against Rep. Chuck Edwards.

The leaders of the bipartisan panel said Thursday they were probing whether the North Carolina Republican “created or fostered a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment in violation of the Code of Official Conduct or any other applicable standard of conduct.”

Edwards, in a statement Thursday, said he “welcome[d] any investigation and plan[ned] to comply fully with the Committee.”

He added, “I am confident the investigation will expose the facts, not politically motivated fiction.”

POLITICO previously reportedthat Edwards was under investigation for allegations of having an improper relationship with staff and engaging in sexual harassment.

Speaker Mike Johnson this week said the allegations against Edwards are serious but that Edwards is also denying the accusations. The lawmaker has been seen on Capitol Hill this week attending floor votes and a candle light vigil in recognition of National Police Week.

In its current stage, the Edwards probe is less formal than an inquiry by an investigative subcommittee, which can only be convened by an Ethics Committee vote. Under committee rules, the panel must announce the formation of an investigative subcommittee, but investigations conducted at the discretion of leadership can operate in secret. That means leaders had no obligation to disclose their inquiry into Edwards at this time.

But the Ethics Committee is under new pressure to appear more responsive to allegations of misconduct among members, spurring an uptick in public statements and status reports about the panel’s typically secretive activities.

The renewed attention on sexual misconduct in the House specifically also compelled Republican and Democratic leadership to direct their party’s respective Women’s Caucuses to team up for a working group to develop changes to existing policies around sexual misconduct in the congressional workplace.

Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report.