Former Staffer Says Congressman Made Her 'Uncomfortable' in Text Message Exchange

GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards (NC-11) is facing even more scrutiny after he was accused of sexual misconduct with former staffers.

Earlier this week, the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into Edwards’ conduct with women who worked for him. Now, another young female staffer told Axios that his behavior made her uncomfortable.

The staffer said she was afraid that Edwards might retaliate against her if she went public with her allegations. In one text message, the lawmaker said it was “disappointing to feel something that used to be easy has gotten complicated” after the 20-year-old said she did not want to have dinner with him last year.

In the text exchange, the staffer told Edwards that she didn’t think dining together was appropriate because there were rumors about their relationship. She told another individual that she felt uncomfortable and “objectified” by Edwards, according to Axios.

Three sources told the news outlet that the staffer told the Congressman’s chief of staff about his conduct shortly before she resigned.

Axios previously reported that the staffer, along with other women, experienced the same issues with the lawmaker. He allegedly crossed professional boundaries on a regular basis, telling one staffer in a handwritten letter that she had “written a complex chapter in my heart” and “You are the most amazing woman.”

Edwards also wrote a flattering poem for the female staffer that he read aloud at her office-wide going-away party, four sources told Axios.
The sources said Edwards choked up and became teary-eyed while reading the rhyming poem. A slideshow featuring photos of him and the staffer played in the background.
The four sources described members of the office staff as deeply uncomfortable during the reading of the poem.
They also described the gesture as highly unusual, noting Edwards did not write poems or personally organize celebrations of that magnitude for other departing aides. Axios previously reported that Edwards also wrote the staffer a goodbye note, telling her she'd "written a complex chapter in my heart."