House Ethics Committee Investigates Rep. Jimmy Gomez

The House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California for alleged sexual misconduct, including inappropriate contact with a House staffer. The committee's statement, released by Chair Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.) and ranking member Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord), acknowledged the review but noted that it does not indicate any violation has occurred.

According to The New York Post, Gomez was spotted in 2023 kissing a much younger staffer from another office. CNN reported that the committee discovered additional allegations of sexual misconduct by Gomez during its investigation. Gomez acknowledged making "personal mistakes outside my marriage" but maintained that his actions were consensual and did not violate any laws or House ethics rules.

Gomez, a married five-term congressman representing California's 34th Congressional District, faces an election challenge in November from Democrat Angela Gonzales-Torres. Gonzales-Torres has been critical of Gomez, particularly due to his past support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). She blasted Gomez in a statement to The Times, calling for representatives who focus on policies like Medicare for All rather than those "mired in scandal and investigation."

The committee's investigation is part of a broader trend involving allegations of sexual misconduct and impropriety among members of Congress. Earlier this month, Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) ended his reelection campaign after the Ethics Committee recommended a censure vote for allegedly harassing two young female staffers. In April, Democrat Eric Swalwell of California resigned from his House seat amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

The committee's announcement follows an earlier report by The New York Post in April that Gomez kissed a congressional aide to another House Democrat at a backyard party hosted by former Rep. Eric Swalwell in the summer of 2023. The report stated the aide was two decades younger than Gomez, who is now 51 but was 48 during the alleged incident.

Following the June CNN report, Gomez released a statement acknowledging that he made mistakes in his marriage but that he violated no House ethics rules, while stating he would cooperate with its investigation. In response to the committee's announcement, Gomez issued a similar statement to Courthouse News, expressing deep sorrow for the pain and embarrassment brought into his family's lives.

According to CBS News, a woman told the House Ethics Committee that Rep. Jimmy Gomez sexually assaulted her, according to her attorneys. The attorneys for the unnamed woman pushed back on the assertion that Gomez's actions were consensual. "We represent one of the women who was interviewed by the House Committee on Ethics about her experience of sexual harassment and assault by Representative Jimmy Gomez. Contrary to Representative Gomez's assertion in his statement, his actions were not 'consensual in nature' with respect to our client. We fully expect that the House Committee on Ethics will come to the same conclusion in its investigation," said her attorneys, Lisa J. Banks and Sarah E. Nesbitt.

The investigation comes as the House is poised to consider legislation to overhaul the chamber's ethics rules. The proposal would, among other things, ban lawmakers from having sexual relationships with any congressional staffers, not just those under their direct supervision.