U.S. Congress Members Resign Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

U.S. Congress have faced pressure to leave in recent weeks amid allegations of sexual misconduct. A Democratic congressman, 45, faces accusations of drugging, raping, and choking a woman in her hotel room in 2018, as well as making unwanted sexual advances toward other women.

The congressman denies the allegations. A Republican congressman, also 45, quit after admitting, following months of allegations, that he had an inappropriate relationship with his former married staffer, who died by suicide in September 2025.

He said he had “absolutely nothing to do” with her death. Another woman came forward last week, alleging he bombarded her with “hundreds” of sexually explicit text messages. The resignations come amid broader concerns about sexual misconduct in Congress.

A former GOP Rep. stated that such behavior is prevalent among members. She described Congress as a place where similar issues remain unaddressed.

There have also been at least 147 state lawmakers across 44 states accused of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct since 2017, a damning report last year found. This might be the biggest moment of reckoning for Washington since the height of the #MeToo movement in 2017 - if Americans don’t fall back into the same traps and allow the open secret to stay hidden in the halls of Congress.

That movement helped bring down powerful figures accused of past assault, but America was slammed by the pandemic years later and the movement lost its momentum. Just last month, the House blocked a proposal that would have made records from congressional sexual misconduct and harassment investigations public.