The House Ethics Committee is investigating a California congressman over sexual misconduct allegations after he admitted to cheating on his wife with a colleague’s congressional aide.
The panel began looking into Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez, 51, after an April story in the New York Post alleged that the lawmaker had been seen kissing a female staffer who worked for another member of Congress at a summer party in 2023, CNN reported, citing three sources with knowledge of the investigation.
The Post reported that the backyard party in question was hosted by Gomez’s Democratic colleague, former California Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned from his congressional post and suspended his gubernatorial campaign in April after facing allegations of rape and sexual abuse.
At the time, a Gomez spokesperson told the Post that the makeout session “didn’t happen” and the accounts were “not true.”
While looking into that story, one source told CNN that the panel uncovered other allegations of sexual misconduct against Gomez, which prompted the investigation.
Gomez, who shares one son with his wife, Mary Hodge, admitted to his alleged infidelity in a statement to CNN, telling the outlet he would “cooperate with any Ethics Committee inquiry and provide it with whatever information it might need.”
“Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family,” Gomez said in the statement. “Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most.”
“I take full responsibility and have committed myself to working through the pain privately with my wife and family,” he continued. “I sought professional assistance to help re-center and heal the relationships that mean everything to me, and move forward with the honesty, transparency, and respect that everyone deserves from the people they love. I continue to do this work.”
“I sincerely apologize to my wife, family, friends and the people that I have the privilege to serve. My wife and I will work through our family matters privately, but I am deeply sorry for the pain and embarrassment that I brought into our lives,” the congressman concluded. “Her sacrifices and support are central to my ability to serve, and I can only feel gratitude for her grace and strength.”
Gomez’s office did not immediately return the Daily Beast’s request for comment on the ethics committee’s investigation.
Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress the same day as Texan GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, who was exposed for sexting a staffer who later took her own life.
Gomez, who resigned as co-chair of Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign in the wake of his colleague’s allegations, which he called “the ugliest and most serious accusations imaginable,” is not the only congressman under investigation by the House panel.
The committee confirmed last month that it was investigating Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards over sexual harassment allegations, after reports accused the North Carolina lawmaker of making female staffers uncomfortable.
Among the GOP congressman’s alleged transgressions were a handwritten letter he sent to a female staffer calling her “the most amazing woman” and his gift to an aide of a custom puzzle that, when solved, revealed a photo of Adam Sandler along with tickets to one of the actor’s comedy shows.
Edwards told The Assembly in May that the accusations were “horses--t.” His campaign consultant, Paul Shumaker, later told the Daily Beast that the allegations were “baseless” and were “designed to impact the campaign driven by those who want to settle old political scores.”
“We welcome the ethics inquiry because it allows for facts to be entered into the record, not public allegations designed to drive media interests,” Shumaker said.
