The House Ethics Committee has conducted 20 investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct by members of the House since 2017, the panel revealed in a rare public statement on Monday.

The disclosure comes in the wake of last week's resignations of Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who both faced allegations of sexual misconduct with members of their staff. The committee had begun investigating both cases before the lawmakers resigned, removing the matters from the panel's jurisdiction.

The committee also released a list of all publicly-disclosed matters it has investigated involving alleged sexual misconduct by members, listing 28 instances in total and 15 instances since 2017. This implies five instances of sexual misconduct investigations in the prior decade that have not been publicly disclosed.

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive lawmakers and advocates have welcomed the disclosure, saying it brings long-needed transparency to a process that has often operated behind closed doors. The panel's statement emphasized it 'does not handle sexual harassment lawsuits or has any involvement in settlements of such claims' and encouraged anyone with knowledge of misconduct to report it.

The disclosure follows pressure from members including Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who forced a vote on a resolution to release all reports on file with the committee regarding sexual harassment allegations. The House voted to refer the matter to the Ethics Committee, which had expressed concern that broad disclosures 'could chill victim cooperation and witness participation in ongoing and future investigations.'

Progressive groups have noted that the 2018 reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act — enacted after the #MeToo movement — required automatic referrals of sexual harassment awards or settlements. The committee stated that since those reforms, it has received no notifications of any payments relating to alleged instances of sexual misconduct by lawmakers.

What the Right Is Saying

Conservative members have focused on the need for accountability while also raising concerns about due process. The Ethics Committee emphasized it 'does not handle sexual harassment lawsuits or have any involvement in settlements of such claims' and argued it has taken a more aggressive approach in recent years.

The committee noted that some sexual misconduct matters 'were removed from the Committee's jurisdiction by the subject's resignation, retirement, or departure from House employment.' This was the case with both Swalwell and Gonzales, whose resignations ended the panel's ability to complete its investigations.

Some Republican members have pushed for more aggressive disclosure of settlements. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee last month approved a motion from Mace to subpoena the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights for information on awards and settlements paid pursuant to the Congressional Accountability Act prior to 2018 — what she called a 'sexual harassment slush fund' available to members of Congress.

What the Numbers Show

Since 1976, the House Ethics Committee has publicly disclosed 28 investigations into alleged sexual misconduct by House members. Of these, the committee found and issued reports on sexual misconduct violations in seven instances. In another seven instances, it did not find violations and released reports.

The committee lost jurisdiction to investigate and make a determination in 13 instances — including the cases of Swalwell and Gonzales, both of whom resigned before investigations concluded. One investigation remains ongoing: the matter involving Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who is being investigated for alleged dating violence and other matters.

Since 2017, the committee has initiated investigations in 20 matters involving allegations of sexual misconduct by a member. The panel noted it 'has also investigated several Members for their handling of allegations of sexual misconduct by their senior staff.'

Since the 2018 reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act, which required automatic referrals of sexual harassment awards or settlements paid from a U.S. Treasury fund and publication of such awards, the committee has received no notifications of any payments relating to alleged sexual misconduct by lawmakers.

The Bottom Line

The rare disclosure from the House Ethics Committee provides the most comprehensive public accounting of its sexual misconduct investigations in decades. While the panel has faced criticism for operating behind closed doors, this week's statement underscores a commitment to transparency in recent years.

The resignations of Swalwell and Gonzales removed two active investigations from the committee's jurisdiction, highlighting a recurring challenge: members who resign before investigations conclude can avoid public findings. The one ongoing investigation — into Rep. Cory Mills — remains under review.

Moving forward, the battle over disclosure of settlement information continues. The House vote to refer Mace's resolution to the Ethics Committee could lead to more granular public reporting, though the panel has warned that excessive disclosure could discourage victims from coming forward. The committee's statement made clear: 'There should be zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, harassment, or discrimination in the halls of Congress.'