What Happened?

The people you elect to Congress don’t have a boss who can fire them, so when one is accused of harassing staff, the rest of the House decides the punishment. On Tuesday, Sept. 1, the House voted 413-2 to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) after its Ethics Committee found he “fostered a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment” of two staffers. Edwards sat in the well of the chamber while Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) read the censure aloud, Axios reported. ​

The vote came a day after a Legis1 report noted the resolution was headed to the floor. The committee released its findings Aug. 3, and Edwards dropped his reelection bid within days. Only Edwards and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) voted no, Roll Call reported.

Why Does It Matter To Me?

If you live in North Carolina’s 11th District, in the state’s western mountains, Edwards is still your congressman, but not for long. He stays in office until his term ends in January.

For everyone else, this is about how Congress polices itself. Censure is the House’s harshest punishment short of expelling a member. It carries no fine and doesn’t remove anyone from office, but it stays on the member’s record for good. The Ethics Committee hadn’t recommended censuring a member since 2010, according to Axios.

Both Sides, Now

The committee, which has an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, said a reasonable person would read Edwards’s conduct as sexual or romantic, and that many relevant messages appeared to have been deleted from his phone. Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS), the committee’s chairman, called it “persistent, unprofessional, and inappropriate conduct” with two young female staffers.

Edwards denies harassing anyone. “I am imperfect. I have made mistakes, but I do not believe I committed sexual harassment,” he said on the House floor, adding, “Regret is not an admission of sexual harassment.” His lawyers argued in a 15-page rebuttal that the committee “failed to demonstrate that either of the two staffers expressed discomfort to Rep. Edwards regarding his conduct with them,” and that censure was too harsh.

What Happens Next?

The censure is final. A House punishment like this doesn’t go to the Senate.

Voters in the 11th District will pick Edwards’s replacement on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Republicans chose state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom to take his place on the ballot against Democrat Jamie Ager, Blue Ridge Public Radio reported. Edwards said he respects the House’s decision but doesn’t accept its conclusion, and he predicted what will outlast his time in office: “What will remain is one word attached permanently to my name: censured.”

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