The House Ethics Committee issued a rare public plea to victims of sexual harassment or misconduct from sitting Congress members to come forward and report the incident, marking an uncommon step for the bipartisan panel to solicit help from the public as it carries out its investigative work.
In a lengthy statement released on Monday, the committee urged anyone “who may have experienced sexual misconduct by a House Member or staffer, or who has knowledge of such conduct,” to report it to the investigative panel. The guidance comes just one week after two lawmakers, one Republican and one Democrat, resigned from the House amid sexual misconduct allegations reported by former staffers.
“There should be zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, harassment, or discrimination in the halls of Congress, or in any employment setting,” the committee wrote in its statement. “The Committee has a long history of investigating allegations of sexual misconduct by Members of the House, ranging from criminal sexual activity to behavior implicating civil employment discrimination laws and more general standards of conduct.”
Committee publishes list of accused lawmakers
In another unusual move, the committee published a list of lawmakers who have been previously accused of sexual misconduct as well as the outcome of the related investigation.
Those investigations date back to 1976, and the list includes allegations against former Reps. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who resigned last week. Neither investigation had a published report as the lawmakers stepped down from office before the inquiries were finished.
The statement comes as lawmakers increasingly call for changes to how the House handles reports of sexual misconduct and for an overhaul of Congress’ harassment policies.
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, called for a policy overhaul in a statement on Sunday, arguing that there must be “a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment and workforce discrimination in the House of Representatives.”
“Victims must be protected and perpetrators must be held fully and swiftly accountable for their actions,” DeSaulnier said in a statement. “I intend to use this moment to push for exactly that, so accountability isn’t optional and silence isn’t the default. Public service is a privilege. It should never be used as a shield.”
Other lawmakers, particularly women, have also called for changes to how Congress treats sexual misconduct allegations and to change the atmosphere on Capitol Hill that makes staffers comfortable to report incidents without fear of retaliation.
“There is such a punitive culture here in Washington that silences people who have been victims of abuse,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told reporters last week. “This is why we have to center survivors of abuse, hear them and protect them, and change our institutions so that it doesn’t happen again.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., noted that lawmakers are already compelled to “act in accordance” with federal laws and principles discouraging any sexual misconduct — especially when it involves one’s staffers. But he didn’t close the door to further changes.
“If there needs to be reforms, we’ll be looking at that,” Johnson said. “I think the result of these members resigning is right in light of the horrific things they’ve been accused of and that inherently have been proven to be true.”