The Lack of Boundaries Needs to Change
Perhaps you have heard about the controversy over whether Congress is doing enough to protect its staff against sexual harassment. The issue arises now and again. Most recently, with Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who announced last Monday he is resigning from Congress, a day after sexual assault and misconduct allegations forced him to withdraw from the California governor race.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said in a statement shared online. “I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the past mistakes I did make.”
Representative Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who also resigned shortly after Swalwell, said he plans to resign amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations. Gonzales announced that he is retiring from Congress after the House Ethics Committee launched a probe into him over a romantic relationship with a former staffer who later died by suicide.
On March 4, 2026, it was announced that the U.S. House of Representatives killed an effort to release all congressional sexual misconduct and harassment reports. Representative Nancy Mace, (R-S.C.), had forced the vote in light of allegations that her Republican colleague Tony Gonzales sent sexual text messages to a subordinate.
Representative Cory Mills (R-Florida) is facing renewed scrutiny over sexual misconduct accusations first disclosed on August 7, 2025. Mills is facing allegations from an ex-girlfriend, Lindsey Landston, who is a Republican state committee member and 2024 Miss United States winner, that he threatened to release sexually explicit images and videos of her following the end of their relationship, according to a police report obtained by ABC News. The allegations against Mills are fueling calls for the Florida lawmaker to resign or face expulsion.
In response, Mills said in a statement to ABC News, “These claims are false and misrepresent the nature of my interactions,” and accused a former Florida primary opponent of “weaponizing the legal system to launch a political attack against the man who beat him.”
In November, the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into Mills’ conduct over allegations of failing to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House; violating campaign finance laws and regulations in connection with his 2022 and 2024 campaigns; improperly soliciting and/or receiving gifts; receiving special favors by virtue of his position; engaging in misconduct with respect to allegations of sexual misconduct and/or dating violence; and/or misusing congressional resources or status, according to a news release filed at the time.
In the absence of a central place on Capitol Hill to report workplace harassment, some female lawmakers have acted themselves. Following the sexual misconduct scandals surrounding Swalwell and Gonzales, Representative Anna Paulina Luna, (R-Florida), publicly assured all Hill staffers they could come to her office with complaints if they did not feel comfortable going to their own bosses.
So far, she says she has received at least one unverified allegation involving a senator, which she flagged to Senate GOP Leader John Thune’s office. The matter has since been forwarded to the Senate Ethics Committee, Thune, R-S.D., said.
The ad hoc effort to create a safe space for staffers underscores how challenging it can still be to report sexual misconduct in Congress — an institution that has long struggled to police itself.
The House Committee on Ethics issued a statement on April 20, 2026, about its work saying that the Committee “is dedicated to maintaining a congressional workplace free from sexual misconduct and ensuring that any individuals responsible for misconduct are held responsible for their behavior. There should be zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, harassment, or discrimination in the halls of Congress, or in any employment setting.”
This sounds nice but when I read on, the statement raises questions whether it is sufficient to encourage staffers to report sexual abuse and harassment.
“The Committee does not handle sexual harassment lawsuits or have any involvement in settlements of such claims. In 2018, the Committee championed the passage of the CAA Reform Act, which required automatic referrals to this Committee of Member reimbursement of sexual harassment awards or settlements paid out of a U.S. Treasury fund and publication of such awards or settlements. Since the enactment of that legislation, the Committee has not been notified of any awards or settlements relating to allegations of sexual harassment by a Member. Civil claims of sexual harassment can be filed with the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR), and the Office of Employee Advocacy (OEA) can assist House staffers in filing such claims and seeking restitution.”
It’s not surprising that the Committee has not been notified of any awards or settlements of cases. Let’s face it. The statement is a turnoff and would lead someone who claim sexual harassment to turn away from the process.
Congress has to get serious about sexual harassment claims by staffers. It’s a travesty that years after the #MeToo movement and awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and rape culture of women, (especially public figures) nothing meaningful has been done to encourage women to share their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment.
The House Ethics Committee also released a comprehensive list of sexual misconduct investigations involving its members, dating back to 1976. The list includes 28 investigations—14 Democrats and 12 Republicans—with many occurring in the last decade. It’s unreasonable to assume this number is indicative of the real number of such cases.
One barrier to reporting is that as of early 2026, there are 124 women in the House and 24 in the Senate, totaling 148 women in Congress. This represents approximately 28.5% of the total voting members. There needs to be a greater balance so that women feel comfortable coming forward.
Blog posted by Steven Mintz, professor emeritus from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, on April 21, 2026. To find out more about Steve, visit his website at: https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/.