Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) is facing a House Ethics Committee investigation over allegations of misconduct, including alleged “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.”
The House Ethics Committee announced the investigation Monday, placing the California Democrat under scrutiny over his personal relationships and alleged conduct involving congressional staff.
Gomez, who has represented California in Congress since 2017, acknowledged that he had been unfaithful to his wife but maintained that his relationships were consensual.
“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,” Gomez said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“I take full responsibility and have committed myself to working through the pain privately with my wife and family,” he continued.
Gomez said he sought professional assistance to repair his relationships and apologized to his family, friends and constituents.
“I am deeply sorry to my wife for the pain and embarrassment that I have brought into our lives,” the congressman said. “Her sacrifices and support are central to my ability to serve, and I can only feel gratitude for her grace and strength.”
The Ethics Committee has not publicly disclosed further details about the underlying allegations.
The panel also emphasized that its decision to investigate Gomez does not mean investigators have determined that he committed a violation.
Gomez said he intends to cooperate with the investigation but will refrain from further public comments while it remains underway.
The allegations come after earlier reporting raised questions about Gomez’s interactions with a congressional aide.
The New York Post reported earlier this year that Gomez was observed kissing a “much younger” congressional aide during the summer of 2023.
The investigation could prove particularly damaging to Gomez’s public image because of his prominent advocacy surrounding fatherhood and families.
Gomez founded and chairs the Congressional Dads Caucus, an organization that says its mission includes ensuring that fathers “step up at home and in the halls of Congress.”
The congressman is married and has one child.
The investigation also follows another recent House Ethics Committee inquiry involving Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC).
Earlier this summer, the committee released a report detailing sexual harassment allegations involving Edwards and two young staffers.
The committee recommended that Edwards be censured. Edwards denied wrongdoing and later abandoned his reelection campaign amid the controversy.
Gomez’s case could renew scrutiny of relationships between members of Congress and congressional employees, particularly given the significant differences in workplace authority that can exist between lawmakers and staffers, per Trending Politics.
For now, Gomez has admitted to extramarital relationships but disputes any allegation that his conduct violated federal law or House ethics rules.
Whether investigators reach the same conclusion remains unresolved.
The Ethics Committee has not announced a timeline for completing its investigation or indicated when additional information about the allegations could become public.
