The House Ethics Committee has concluded its investigation into Representative Chuck Edwards (R-NC), finding "substantial reason to believe" that he violated House rules related to sexual harassment and creating a hostile workplace. The committee has recommended that the full House of Representatives adopt its report and pass a resolution to censure the second-term lawmaker.

"At the completion of its investigation, the Committee concluded there was substantial reason to believe Representative Edwards violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces," the committee stated in its release. "The Committee therefore has recommended that the House of Representatives adopt the Report, and with it, a censure of Representative Edwards for the conduct described therein."

The committee indicated it plans "to bring a privileged resolution for consideration and vote by the full House" on the censure measure. A privileged resolution under House rules entitles the measure to expedited floor consideration, typically requiring leadership to schedule a vote within two legislative days. Censure is one of the most serious disciplinary actions available to the House short of expulsion, requiring a majority vote and typically involving a public reprimand of the member on the House floor. Censure resolutions have been relatively rare in the modern Congress, with only a handful of members censured in the past two decades.

Edwards was first elected to Congress in 2022, representing North Carolina's 11th Congressional District in the western part of the state. The district is a reliably Republican seat centered on Asheville and the Blue Ridge region. He won the position after a contentious Republican primary against then-incumbent Representative Madison Cawthorn, who himself had been embroiled in multiple controversies during his tenure.

The investigation examined a pattern of allegations involving unwanted advances toward female staff members working in Edwards's office. The alleged conduct reportedly occurred while Edwards, who is married, was serving in Congress.

Among the specific incidents detailed in the committee's findings, Edwards reportedly gave staffers blue and pink handguns as personal gifts. In another episode, he took a female staffer on a trip to Las Vegas and presented her with numerous gifts, including "a custom puzzle that, when assembled, revealed an image of actor Adam Sandler alongside a handwritten note inviting the staffer to attend one of Sandler's comedy shows with him."