The House Ethics Committee announced Thursday it is investigating Rep. Chuck Edwards on allegations of sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment among his staff.
The North Carolina Republican faces claims involving inappropriate personal interactions with two female staffers in their 20s. Axios reported that the conduct included handwritten letters with affectionate language, custom gifts, casino trips to Las Vegas, and frequent one-on-one dinners with alcohol.
In one instance, Edwards wrote a three-page handwritten letter to a staffer telling her she had "written a complex chapter in my heart" shortly before she departed his office. He also commissioned a custom puzzle that, when assembled, displayed actor Adam Sandler alongside a handwritten invitation to a comedy show, according to photos and sources reviewed by Axios.
At an office gathering, Edwards read aloud a flattering poem he had written for one of the staffers while becoming visibly emotional. Multiple staff members reported discomfort during the reading as a slideshow of photos featuring Edwards and the staffer played in the background.
Edwards arranged a Las Vegas vacation with one staffer months after she had left his employment, booking flowers for her hotel room upon arrival. When she told him the flowers made her uncomfortable, he did not remove them, according to sources. Two people familiar with the situation said the staffer worried Edwards still wielded influence over her career trajectory.
The investigation also encompasses allegations that Edwards pressured staffers to drink alcohol during outings and frequently complimented their appearance and clothing.
"The Committee, pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a), is reviewing allegations that Representative Chuck Edwards may have 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," the panel stated in its announcement.
Edwards, 65, has been married since 1980. He dismissed the allegations in a CNN interview Tuesday, saying "I think you're gonna find that when Ethics completes their investigation, that the facts will have caught up with all the gossip and the rumor." He did not directly address the specific conduct Axios reported.
The Ethics Committee's probes typically extend for months or even years before producing formal reports or disciplinary recommendations. The investigation arrives as Edwards, serving his second congressional term, faces a competitive reelection fight and has become a top Democratic target for November.
Author James Rodriguez: "This investigation could reshape Edwards' political future, but the Committee's glacial pace means voters will cast ballots long before any formal findings emerge."
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