The Reform Party of North Carolina is calling on Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards to resign from office after the House Ethics Committee recommended that he be censured over his conduct toward two young female staff members.
The North Carolina affiliate released a statement over social media on August 4 calling for Edwards to resign, which the Reform Party National Committee later shared to its national audience. The state party also called on voters to oppose him in the November general election if he remained in office.
“The Reform Party of North Carolina calls on Charles Edwards to resign from office after the House Ethics Committee recommended censuring him for sexual harassment,” the party said. “If he does not resign, the Reform Party of North Carolina recommends voting against Charles Edwards in the general election.”
The statement comes after the House Ethics Committee released a report on August 3 finding substantial reason to believe Edwards, who has represented the state’s 11th Congressional District since first winning in 2022, violated House rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces. The committee said Edwards engaged in persistent inappropriate conduct that included giving the staffers lavish gifts, commenting on their appearances, and inviting them to things such as dinners and vacations.
The committee found no evidence to suggest that Edwards had engaged in sexual activity with or explicitly propositioned anyone on his staff. Edwards has also denied that his actions were intended as romantic or sexual, and his attorneys have argued that the committee’s findings did not justify censure. The recommendation must still be considered by the full House, which could adopt a censure resolution and formally rebuke Edwards without removing him from office.
As of this article’s publication on August 5, Edwards has since announced online that he would end his reelection campaign but complete the remainder of his current term. “Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life,” he said, thanking supporters for their “trust, prayers, and support.”
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