The House Ethics Committee said on Monday it is looking into accusations that Representative Jimmy Gomez engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a congressional staffer, after the California Democrat acknowledged he had made personal missteps outside his marriage.
Gomez, 51, who represents parts of Los Angeles, issued a statement expressing regret for his errors while maintaining that his conduct was consensual and did not breach any law or House ethics standards.
“These errors do not lessen the hurt they have caused those closest to me,” Gomez stated. “I accept full responsibility and am addressing the matter privately with my wife and family.”
House regulations adopted in 2018, following the #MeToo movement’s spotlight on workplace sexual misconduct, prohibit lawmakers from having sexual relations with their own aides or committee staff. However, the rules do not forbid relationships with other staff members whom they do not oversee.
In announcing the probe, Representative Michael Guest of Mississippi, the Republican chair of the Ethics Committee, and Representative Mark DeSaulnier of California, the panel’s senior Democrat, referenced a rule provision that bars members from making unwelcome sexual advances or engaging in conduct toward fellow lawmakers or House staff.
The investigation follows, by several months, the resignations of Representatives Eric Swalwell (D‑CA) and Tony Gonzales (R‑TX) after sexual misconduct allegations, which prompted the House to reexamine its procedures for addressing such claims.
Gomez, who entered Congress in 2017, previously chaired Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign but stepped down after Swalwell faced accusations of sexually assaulting a former aide and engaging in misconduct with other women—claims Swalwell denies.
The Ethics Committee offered no specifics about what triggered the review and stressed that opening an investigation does not imply guilt. Nevertheless, The New York Post reported in April that Gomez had kissed a staffer from another office in 2023, and CNN noted in June that the committee was investigating Gomez, who is seeking re‑election against a Democratic opponent.
The bipartisan panel, tasked with overseeing members’ conduct, has faced criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups who say it moves too slowly on misconduct allegations.
Earlier this month, North Carolina Republican Representative Chuck Edwards suspended his re‑election bid after the Ethics Committee stated it had “substantial reason to believe” he breached House rules on sexual harassment and hostile work environments—a review the committee concluded in under four months.
House leadership has assigned Florida Republican Kat Cammack and New Mexico Democrat Teresa Leger Fernández to develop recommendations for revising the Ethics Committee’s processing of misconduct complaints.
A number of legislators have urged the House to amend its code of conduct to ban any sexual relationships between members of Congress and their staff.
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