Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards of North Carolina has withdrawn from his campaign for another term in the U.S. House of Representatives following the release of an ethics investigation that recommended he be formally censured over allegations involving inappropriate conduct toward female staff members.
Edwards announced his decision in a statement shared on social media on Wednesday, two days after the bipartisan House Ethics Committee concluded that his behaviour breached congressional standards.
Although investigators did not find proof of sexual relations or direct propositions, they determined that his repeated actions created the appearance of unwanted romantic or sexual advances.
The congressman, who has represented western North Carolina since 2023, maintained that he had done nothing improper and stressed that he would remain in office until his current term expires on January 3.
In his statement, Edwards said the decision followed extensive discussions with his family, prayer, and careful consideration, describing it as a difficult choice.
Earlier this week, the House Ethics Committee urged the full House of Representatives to issue a censure, a formal public reprimand, after concluding that Edwards violated the chamber’s code of conduct.
The committee’s 25-page report stated that investigators found no evidence of physical intimacy or explicit requests for sexual relationships.
However, it noted that several relevant messages had been removed from Edwards’ mobile phone during the investigation, although some were later recovered from other sources.
Among the retrieved communications was a photograph showing approximately 30 varieties of ice cream allegedly delivered to one female employee, who responded by describing the gesture as excessive.
Investigators also documented numerous expensive gifts provided to staff members, valued at more than $1,000.
These included jewellery, luxury handbags, firearms, footwear, flowers, electronic devices, kitchen appliances, robotic cleaning equipment, holiday trips, theatre tickets and private dinners.
According to the report, Edwards also financed a trip to New York City for one staff member and her friend following the end of her relationship, allowing them to attend a performance of the musical Hamilton.
The committee further found that the congressman repeatedly made personal remarks about the appearance of female employees, including compliments on their looks and comments about body weight.
While Edwards insisted that his conduct was never intended to express romantic or sexual interest, the ethics panel concluded that a reasonable person could interpret the pattern of his behaviour as unwanted advances that failed to uphold the standards expected of members of Congress.
Before entering Congress, Edwards was a businessman and won his House seat after defeating former Representative Madison Cawthorn in the 2022 Republican primary.
Cawthorn, who is now pursuing a congressional seat in Florida, previously faced separate allegations of sexual misconduct.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong