The House Ethics Committee announced Monday that it has opened an investigation into Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-California) over sexual misconduct allegations.
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In a statement, the Ethics Committee — which is made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans — said that it is reviewing allegations that Gomez “may have engaged in sexual misconduct,” including “engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer,” in violation of House rules. The panel noted its investigation “does not itself indicate that any violation [of House rules] has occurred.”
In a statement Monday, Gomez acknowledged he had “made personal mistakes outside my marriage” and said he will cooperate with the investigation.
“Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House Ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most. … I am deeply sorry to my wife for the pain and embarrassment that I have brought into our lives,” Gomez said.
CNN first reported in June that the committee was investigating Gomez over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Gomez, 51, is facing a reelection challenge from Democrat Angela Gonzales-Torres as he seeks a sixth term in Congress. In California’s open primaries, the top two finishers advance to the general election regardless of party. Gomez represents the state’s 34th District in the Los Angeles area.
The Ethics Committee’s announcement is the latest development in a recent string of House controversies. The panel said earlier this month it is investigating allegations that Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) engaged in domestic violence and illegal drug use after Miller’s ex-wife accused him of physically abusing her and their daughter.
“I have absolutely nothing to hide. We will be providing the committee all necessary documents needed for a detail examination,” Miller wrote on X ahead of the committee’s announcement.
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Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-North Carolina) said he was dropping his reelection bid early this month, after the Ethics Committee recommended censuring him in a report that described “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct” toward two young female staffers.
Edwards said none of his conduct was intended to be a sexual or romantic advance; however, his behavior patterns “would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such,” the committee found.
This spring, when sexual misconduct allegations emerged involving another California Democrat — then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was running for governor — Gomez resigned as Swalwell’s campaign co-chair and called for his colleague to drop out. Gomez described the allegations as “the ugliest and most serious accusations imaginable” and called for “full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay.”
In April, Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) resigned from Congress ahead of possible expulsion votes related to allegations of sexual misconduct. Swalwell denied an accusation of sexual assault but acknowledged some past “mistakes in judgment.” Gonzales acknowledged an affair with a former member of his staff, a violation of House rules.
The slew of high-profile investigations, resignations and dropped election bids has triggered a reckoning about the way Congress polices lawmakers’ behavior. In May, the House launched a bipartisan push to combat sexual misconduct. A group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers is expected to announce reforms to House policies when Congress returns from recess.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (New Mexico), chairwoman of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, previously said potential changes could include speeding up the process for reporting sexual assault and increasing education and training resources.
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