Ethics panel recommends censure for GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards for ‘inappropriate conduct’

The House Ethics Committee said it found “substantial reason” to believe Rep. Chuck Edwards violated House rules on sexual harassment.

WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee said Monday it is recommending that the full House censure Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., after it found that he “engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.”

“The Committee found that Representative Edwards violated the House Code of Official Conduct by failing to adhere to the spirit of rules prohibiting sexual harassment of and unwanted advances to House staffers,” the Ethics Committee said in its 25-page report following a monthslong investigation into allegations against him.

The bipartisan panel, led by Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., and ranking member Mark DeSalnier, D-Calif., said Edwards denied that any of his actions were intended to be sexual or romantic in nature. He cooperated with the investigation, according to the report.

And the committee said it found no evidence that Edwards engaged in sexual activity with or propositioned any of his staffers. It also concluded that the allegations “do not implicate quid pro quo sexual harassment” or violate “the ‘letter’ of federal sexual harassment law.”

But the panel added that “his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together.”