Escalation: House Ethics Panel Requests Information

The House Ethics Committee publicly requested information from anyone who experienced sexual misconduct by a House member or staffer or who has knowledge of such conduct. The committee urged victims and witnesses to come forward and pledged to protect witness confidentiality and safety.

The request was issued April 20, one week after the resignations of Reps. Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales and amid renewed scrutiny of how Congress handles these complaints. The committee noted it has opened 20 sexual-misconduct investigations since 2017 and said it has adopted a more aggressive approach over the last decade.

Lawmakers pressed opposing fixes. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez demanded faster investigations and Rep. Pramila Jayapal called for an independent body with subpoena power, while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise cautioned that speeding the process could undercut the committee’s bipartisan, deliberate role.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources