Another Week, Another Couple of Washington Sex Scandals

It seems that, these days, not one week goes by without more details of the sordid affairs of Capitol Hill emerging—and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually starting to miss when I thought RFK Jr.’s “Yr open mouth awaiting my harvest” poem was the worst it could get. (Hm. Actually, I take that back.)

On Tuesday, just a day after Axios reported the details of an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation into Rep. Chuck Edwards, three sources confirmed to the outlet that Edwards was inappropriately involved with at least two young female staffers in their 20s. (Edwards is 65, and has been married since 1980.) According to the sources—who spoke on condition of anonymity—the congressman would take both women out for date-night dinners, give one of them jewelry and puzzle-gifts, and bring the other as a guest to White House parties. 

One of these women also told the staffers—repeatedly—that the congressman’s advances made her uncomfortable. Before she left, Edwards reportedly sent her a three-page letter, which Axios also snagged a copy of, saying, “You are the most amazing woman…Your kindness, encouragement, and light-heartedness have written a complex chapter in my heart that I will never stop reading.” Ew. 

Alas, sex-scandal season is in full swing in Washington, and also on Tuesday Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina)—who’s made her latest personality of weeding out congressional peccadilloes—unearthed the findings of what she’s calling the congressional “sex slush fund.”

You, the American people, paid for this. Taxpayer dollars were used to silence victims of sexual harassment by Members of Congress. We said we would get you names. Here they are, along with the amounts.

2007: Rodney Alexander ($15,000)
2009: Office of Carolyn McCarthy (2 cases… https://t.co/E3CvrkegWw

— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) May 4, 2026

 

According to more than 1,000 documents released by Mace and reviewed by CNN, the federal government paid more than $338,000 in sexual harassment hush settlements for six former lawmakers from 2004 to 2018. (Following the #MeToo movement and subsequent legislation, congressmembers could no longer use taxpayer money to reach settlements.) This number was a much higher estimate than what was previously known.

The documents come after Mace filed a subpoena to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights in March, demanding they reveal all awards and settlements that were paid for misconduct by members of Congress. They named former Reps. Eric Massa (D-New York), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Blake Farenthold (R-Tex.), and Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.). Also listed were the late and former Reps. Carolyn McCarthy (D-New York) and Rodney Alexander (R-La.). 

So, yeah. It’s only Tuesday, and already we’re building up the week’s roster of Washington sex scandals. Great.