The House Ethics Committee recommended on Monday that Representative Chuck Edwards, a North Carolina Republican, face censure for persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young female aides. The panel found substantial reason to believe Edwards violated House rules by singling out the staffers for special treatment, though it uncovered no evidence of sexual activity or propositions.
The committee's 20-page report detailed lavish gifts including jewelry, designer purses, firearms, and vacations, as well as intimate dinners, late-night texts, and personal trips. Edwards, 65, invited one staffer to a White House event without informing other staff and wrote poems for another. Both aides resigned.
Edwards's campaign argued the findings completely exonerate the congressman, while his counsel called the committee's conclusions unfounded. With the House on recess, a censure vote would not occur until at least September. Edwards, who ousted Madison Cawthorn in the 2022 Republican primary, faces a competitive re-election race.