The House Ethics Committee launched a formal investigation Thursday into Rep. Chuck Edwards, the North Carolina Republican facing allegations that he fostered a hostile workplace and sexually harassed staff members.
Edwards responded swiftly, telling NBC News he welcomed the scrutiny. "I am confident the investigation will expose the facts, not politically motivated fiction," he said in a statement, pledging full cooperation with the panel.
The probe centers on Edwards' interactions with much younger female staffers, according to reporting by Axios this week. One former employee complained to colleagues that the married congressman pressured her to dine and drink with him, eventually sharing her discomfort with his chief of staff. After she departed, Edwards sent her a handwritten note saying she had "written a complex chapter in my heart." He also gifted her a custom puzzle featuring Adam Sandler alongside an invitation to attend one of the comedian's concerts together, Axios reported, citing four sources with knowledge of the exchanges.
Politico had signaled the investigation earlier this month, reporting that two sources familiar with the inquiry said Edwards faced scrutiny over an alleged relationship with a subordinate and harassment allegations. NBC News has not independently verified the claims.
Speaker Mike Johnson characterized the allegations as "serious" and "concerning" but deferred to Edwards' denials. "We have to allow due process to play out. We cannot allow mere allegations to be a determining factor here," Johnson said when asked about the Axios reports.
The Ethics Committee, equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, emphasized in its announcement that the investigation's mere existence and public disclosure "does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred."
The timing places Edwards under microscope as Democrats have targeted him in midterm campaigns seeking to flip his North Carolina 11th District seat. Edwards is a two-term representative.
The committee has had an active docket. Last month, both Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, and Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, resigned while facing sexual misconduct investigations. Both denied wrongdoing. The panel is also probing Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., over allegations of sexual misconduct, dating violence, and campaign finance violations. Mills has denied the accusations.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Edwards' framing of this as political theater rings hollow when his own staff felt uncomfortable enough to complain, and the gifts and notes speak louder than his denials."
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