Attorneys for a woman interviewed by the House Ethics Committee alleged Wednesday that Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) engaged in non-consensual sexual harassment and assault. The statement by lawyers Lisa Banks and Sarah Nesbitt disputes earlier claims made by Gomez, who described his past actions as consensual extramarital affairs that did not violate House rules.
The House Ethics Committee, a bipartisan panel that investigates alleged misconduct by members of Congress, announced Monday that it had opened an investigation into Gomez. The committee is examining whether the congressman engaged in "sexual misconduct," specifically regarding "inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer." Gomez's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the Wednesday statement from the accuser's attorneys.
Gomez previously acknowledged "personal mistakes" outside of his marriage but maintained that the interactions were consensual and legal. In his statement, he said he respects the ethics process and expressed confidence that an impartial review would show he did not violate the law or House regulations. Current House rules permit consensual relationships between members and staffers, provided the staffer is not a direct subordinate of the member.
The investigation occurs as Reps. Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) prepare legislation, expected in September, to broaden the ban on relationships between lawmakers and any congressional employees. The proposed ethics overhaul also seeks to accelerate the timeline for Ethics Committee investigations and ensure that reports and recommended punishments are made public.
The scale of the issue is highlighted by the recent resignations of two other lawmakers, former Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX), following misconduct allegations. Another member, Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC), ended his reelection bid this month after a committee report detailed inappropriate conduct toward two staffers. These cases have prompted bipartisan efforts to change the legal rights and professional boundaries for all congressional employees, potentially affecting every office in the legislative branch.
The concrete day-to-day change for staffers and lawmakers would depend on the passage of the Cammack-Fernández legislation. If enacted, staffers would notice a strict prohibition on intimate relationships with any member of Congress, regardless of reporting structure. A person working in a congressional office would see these changes reflected in their employee handbook and ethics training. The House Ethics Committee has not provided a specific deadline for the Gomez investigation, and its staff director, Tom Rust, declined to comment on the current status of the proceedings.