I’m sipping my coffee and reading about the latest drama in Washington, and folks, this one is a doozy. The bipartisan House Ethics Committee has found “substantial evidence” that GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards made unwanted advances towards two of his female staffers. I mean, who hasn’t been there, right? Just kidding, this is some serious stuff. The committee is recommending that the full House vote to punish him, which could lead to a censure. Now, I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure that’s not exactly a slap on the wrist.
The panel determined that there was substantial reason to believe Representative Edwards violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces. Well, that’s not exactly the kind of thing you want to be known for, especially when you’re a member of Congress. I’m sure his constituents are just thrilled to hear about this.
The extraordinary statement, which is the result of a months-long investigation, marks the first time the panel has recommended the House censure one of its own members since 2010. I guess you could say this is a bit of a big deal. A censure resolution is one of the most severe forms of punishment in the House, though it does not remove a member from the House and carries no explicit penalties beyond a public admonition. So, basically, it’s a fancy way of saying “hey, you messed up, buddy.”
The congressman denied that his behavior was “intended as a sexual or romantic advance,” according to the committee’s report, which also said that it found no evidence that Edwards, 65, “engaged in sexual activity” with the women. Well, that’s good to know, I suppose. But the report does say that he repeatedly acted inappropriately by sending “personal texts late in the evenings” and buying lavish gifts for the staffers. Because, you know, that’s not creepy at all.
Both women had worked for Edwards when he was a state senator and continued to work for him when he took office in the House of Representatives. The first woman was still in college at that time and worked in the congressional office for around three years. The second woman was in her early 20s when she started work in the congressional office and continued working there for around two and a half years. I’m sure it was just a coincidence that he happened to be buying them all these nice gifts and taking them on trips.
Paul Shumaker, a spokesperson and strategist for the Edwards campaign, said in a statement that the panel’s findings “completely exonerate Representative Edwards under the House rules governing sexual misconduct or harassment” and that its conclusion showed the congressman “did not violate federal sexual harassment law.” Well, that’s one way to spin it, I guess. Edwards, who is running for reelection in North Carolina’s 11th district, “looks forward to having his name cleared and will work to ensure that the full light of day is brought on this process,” the spokesman added. Yeah, good luck with that.
The 25-page ethics committee report states that Edwards repeatedly acted inappropriately by buying lavish gifts for the staffers, including jewelry worth over $1,000, as well as “designer purses, guns, shoes, flowers, a laptop and cell phone, KitchenAid mixer, robotic vacuum, vacations, tickets to performances, and one-on-one dinners.” I mean, who needs that much stuff? The congressman brought one of the staffers on a trip to New York City where he’d planned a helicopter ride, dinner, and Broadway show to celebrate his birthday. Because, you know, that’s not a romantic gesture at all.
The committee found that Edwards had intentionally deleted some messages to these women that were “particularly inappropriate” — a finding they said was central to their investigation. Well, that’s not suspicious at all. “Representative Edwards acknowledged at least some of the behavior at issue could be viewed as inappropriate. However, he has not acknowledged or taken responsibility for the harm he caused,” the report said. Yeah, that’s not exactly the kind of thing you want to hear about someone in a position of power.
The House is currently on recess for the month of August with members back in their home districts, so September is likely the earliest a censure effort could be taken up. I’m sure Edwards is just thrilled to have this hanging over his head while he’s trying to campaign for reelection. In conclusion, it seems like Representative Edwards has gotten himself into a bit of a mess, and it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. And on a lighter note, I guess you could say he’s learned that it’s not a good idea to try to woo your staffers with lavish gifts and helicopter rides – who knew? 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
