Congress Faces Major Reckoning Over Sexual Misconduct Amid New Allegations and Calls for Accountability

Congress is experiencing its most significant reckoning over sexual misconduct since the #MeToo movement reshaped Capitol Hill in 2017 and 2018. Nearly a decade after lawmakers instituted reforms around sexual harassment, new allegations are exposing what members and staffers describe as an enduring culture of misconduct.

Key voices weigh in:

"It's complete bullsh*t. Like you have all these guys sleeping with their employees, and nothing happens, and everybody knows what's going on."

A House Republican told Axios.

Driving the News: Recent Resignations and Allegations

The renewed scrutiny intensified after two lawmakers—Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.)—resigned last month amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Swalwell also faces allegations of sexual assault.

Swalwell has denied the allegations. Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. The Ethics Committee lost jurisdiction over both cases after the lawmakers stepped down, both of whom were facing imminent expulsion votes.

Separately, Axios reported this week that Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) singled out two young female staffers for inappropriate attention, drawing further scrutiny to lawmakers' conduct.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) told Politico that "ANY member of Congress engaging in an inappropriate relationship with staff needs to go."

Another House Republican told Axios they believe Edwards should either resign or be expelled.

Edwards called the allegations "horsesh*t" in an interview with The Assembly, a North Carolina-based publication, though he did not directly address the specific allegations reported by Axios.

The Bigger Picture: Accountability and Broader Scrutiny

Sexual abuse and accountability have been in the spotlight this Congress amid the broader fight over releasing the government's files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. That effort only succeeded after a bloc of Republican women joined Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) in forcing the release despite opposition from President Trump.

Republican Women Leading Calls for Accountability

The loudest demands for accountability are coming from Republican women lawmakers, who are increasingly willing to publicly challenge colleagues they believe leadership has protected for too long.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) have emerged as some of Congress' most aggressive voices pushing to expose misconduct allegations and enforce consequences for accused lawmakers.

Mace has led multiple efforts this year to punish or expel Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) over allegations that include financial misdeeds, campaign finance violations, and sexual misconduct, all of which Mills denies.

On Monday, Mace also released records showing that more than $338,000 in taxpayer money was paid over 10 years to settle sexual misconduct cases involving eight former members.

Frustration with the House Ethics Committee

Frustration is also growing with the House Ethics Committee, which members in both parties complain moves too slowly to address misconduct allegations effectively. The panel's investigations can take months, sometimes years, to issue formal reports or disciplinary recommendations.

Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest (R-Miss.) told Axios last month the panel needs more resources to "move matters through more quickly."

The committee released a rare public statement last month saying it has investigated 20 matters involving alleged sexual misconduct by members of Congress since 2017. The panel only named