<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The House voted on September 1, 2026, to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) by a vote of 413-2, following a recommendation from the House Ethics Committee after an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving two female staffers.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Edwards, who withdrew his reelection bid after the committee released its report, was censured based on findings that indicated he failed to adhere to rules prohibiting sexual harassment and unwanted advances towards House staffers. The two votes against the censure came from Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Edwards himself.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a speech on the House floor prior to the vote, Edwards stated, “I’m asking you to distinguish between conduct that you might personally have handled differently, and conduct that warrants the solemn judgment of censure by the United States House of Representatives.” He added, “I’ve spent my public life trying to serve the people who entrusted me with this office. I am imperfect. I have made mistakes, but I do not believe I committed sexual harassment and the factual findings of this investigation do not justify branding me as though I did.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">According to the report, Edwards invited young female staffers to dinner, gave them gifts, wrote them notes, and made repeated attempts to meet with them. The report also noted that he discussed going to strip clubs with the staffers.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Edwards’s campaign has denied that any of the findings violate federal sexual harassment laws. The report detailed multiple advances made by Edwards towards the two women, who previously worked for him in the North Carolina Senate.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In his speech, Edwards claimed that his relationship with the staffers was mutual and apologized to them for any discomfort, acknowledging a discrepancy in their perceptions of the relationship.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In an effort to avoid congressional punishment, Edwards submitted a 22-page letter to his colleagues arguing that his actions did not constitute sexual misconduct, but this effort was unsuccessful.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The last member of Congress to be censured was Rep. Al Green (D-TX) for disrupting President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress the previous year. Censure is considered a less severe form of congressional punishment compared to expulsion, which is the most serious form of disciplinary action. The last member to be expelled was former New York Republican Rep. George Santos.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Edwards’s censure occurs in the context of three House lawmakers resigning this year due to allegations of sexual or financial misconduct, including California Democrat Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales.</p>