House censures North Carolina Republican over allegations of inappropriate behavior with staffers

House lawmakers in both parties came together on Tuesday to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) over allegations of inappropriate behavior with female staffers in his office, marking the latest in a string of disciplinary actions against sitting lawmakers this Congress.

The vote was 413-2, fueled by a damning Ethics Committee report, released early last month, which found that Edwards had demonstrated “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.”

That conduct included a series of expensive gifts, extensive travel, and public comments about their appearance.

The committee determined Edwards violated “the spirit” of the chamber’s rules against sexual harassment and unwanted advances and recommended he be censured .

Edwards dropped his bid for reelection in November, shortly after the report was released. But he has since defended his actions, arguing that the Ethics panel cherrypicked specific episodes to fit a narrative. He continued that defense on Tuesday afternoon on the House floor, where he apologized to the staffers but also insisted that his behavior was not egregious enough to merit censure.

“Regret is not an admission of sexual harassment,” Edwards said. “I can acknowledge poor judgment, regret the discomfort that some of my actions may have caused and apologize to those who were hurt by this episode while still disputing a conclusion that the evidence simply does not support.”

Edwards’s colleagues disagreed, voting overwhelmingly to censure him shortly afterwards. He is the 29th lawmaker to ever be censured by the House.

It marked just the most recent scandal facing a House lawmaker this Congress, spurring calls to reform how the Ethics Commitee and the House more broadly treats allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and other claims.

In April, Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) both resigned in the face of expulsion votes after being accused of sexual misconduct with staffers, with Swalwell also facing an accusation of sexual assault, which he denied.

The Ethics Committee has also opened investigations into Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and Max Miller (R-Ohio) involving allegations of sexual harassment, dating violence or domestic abuse, respectively. Mills lost his Florida primary earlier this month while Miller has vowed to remain in his race. All three have denied wrongdoing.

Lawmakers have also faced discipline for other reasons. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) resigned abruptly while facing accusations of criminal financial fraud. And in early 2025, the House censured Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) for heckling President Trump during the first joint address to Congress of the president’s second term.