Congress' biggest reckoning since #MeToo

"“It's complete bullsh*t,” one House Republican told Axios. “Like you have all these guys sleeping with their employees, and nothing happens, and everybody knows what's going on.” Driving the news: The renewed scrutiny intensified after two lawmakers - Reps. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) - resigned last month amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Swalwell also faces allegations of sexual assault."

"Swalwell has denied the allegations. Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. The Ethics panel lost jurisdiction over the matters when each of the lawmakers stepped down. Both were staring down imminent expulsion votes. Separately, Axios reported this week that Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) had singled out two young female staffers for special attention that sources described as inappropriate, drawing additional attention to lawmakers' conduct."

"Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) told Politico that “ANY member of Congress engaging in an inappropriate relationship with staff needs to go.” Another House Republican told Axios they believe Edwards should either resign or be expelled. Edwards called the allegations “horsesh*t” in an interview with The Assembly, a North Carolina-based publication, though he did not directly address the specific allegations reported by Axios."

"Sexual abuse and accountability have been in the spotlight this Congress amid the broader fight over releasing the government's files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. That effort only succeeded after a bloc of Republican women joined Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) in forcing the release despite opposition from President Trump. Between the lines: The loudest demands for accountability are coming from Republican women lawmakers, who are increasingly willing to publicly torch colleagues they believe leadership has protected for too long."

Renewed scrutiny of lawmakers’ sexual misconduct intensified after two lawmakers resigned amid allegations. Tony Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide, while Eric Swalwell denied allegations and also faces allegations of sexual assault. Ethics panel jurisdiction ended when both stepped down, leaving imminent expulsion votes unresolved. Additional allegations emerged involving Rep. Chuck Edwards, who was accused of singling out young female staffers for inappropriate attention. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said any member engaging in inappropriate relationships with staff needs to go, and other Republicans urged Edwards to resign or be expelled. Accountability demands have grown alongside broader fights over releasing government files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Read at Axios