House Ethics Committee Investigates Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Rep. Chuck Edwards

The House Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Republican from North Carolina. Axios first reported the probe. Edwards, 65, a two-term lawmaker married since 1980, said the allegations are baseless and designed to impact his campaign and settle old political scores.

Edwards stated that he welcomes the ethics inquiry because it allows facts to be entered into the record. He has denied any wrongdoing. The House Ethics Committee has not publicly announced the investigation. A spokesperson for the committee declined to comment.

The probe occurs as Edwards faces a competitive reelection challenge in November’s midterm elections. House Democrats’ campaign arm is supporting Democrat Jamie Ager in the effort to flip the seat. Ager said corruption or abuses of power in any way are unacceptable and that the people of Western North Carolina deserve to hear from their representative about the allegations.

Rep. Nancy Mace said she hopes the House Ethics Committee moves swiftly to review the allegations against Edwards. She said lawmakers stand with those who came forward and expect the committee to hold those who committed wrongdoing fully accountable.

Mace added that if a member is abusing power in Congress, it does not matter if they have an R or a D beside their name, as there need to be consequences.

On May 5, 2026, Mace shared the names of eight former members and the office of one former member after obtaining records from the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights. She posted a picture of a binder containing the records on X and stated that the results of her subpoena of Congress's sexual harassment slush fund are in, with nine members and one thousand pages.

The records come from the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights and cover the period beginning in 2007 and stretching into 2017, consisting of more than 1,000 pages. The settlements are paid by the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights Section 415 fund authorized by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995.

Mace said she will release the documents after redacting sensitive information about victims.

A letter to the House Oversight Committee shows that many additional records on congressional sexual misconduct settlements have been destroyed. The letter, signed by John N. Ohlweiler, general counsel at the OCWR, and sent on April 24, 2026, details that the records were provided pursuant to a committee subpoena.

The OCWR approved a total of 349 awards or settlements to resolve complaints against legislative branch offices from Jan. 1, 1996 through Dec. 12, 2018. Of those, 80 were settled by the Office of a Member of the House of Representatives or the Office of a Senator.

At least 20 case files were destroyed pursuant to an OCWR Record Retention Policy that required destruction ten years after a case was closed. The 20 destroyed case files dated to the time period between 1996 and 2003. There are 3 additional physical case files from 2003 and 2004 for which destruction has not yet been physically confirmed.

Six additional cases scheduled for destruction between 1997 and 2001 have no Settlement Agreement or case file available.

The CAA Reform Act of 2018 requires OCWR to establish a program for the permanent retention of records. OCWR's current Record Retention Policy requires the digital preservation of records from all filed cases. Specific settlements listed in the records include a $39,250 severance pay period for a complainant in a case involving former Rep.

, and a $50,000 payment made in 2010 for a case involving former Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La. A $75 payout resulted from 2014 allegations against him. An $8,000 settlement in 2009 is listed for the office of former Rep. Y. Three settlements totaling $115,000 are listed for cases involving former Rep.

Blake Farenthold, R-Texas.

Mace reacted on X that they destroyed all the evidence prior to 2004. Mace posted on X that all records prior to 2004 were destroyed. Edwards is the latest lawmaker facing such allegations. Fox News Digital has not independently verified the sexual misconduct allegations against Rep.

Chuck Edwards. Under House rules, lawmakers are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with aides under their supervision, though the ban does not extend to staffers employed by other offices.