Ethical Chaos in the House
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
By Steven Hernandez
Chaos seems to have overtaken the halls of Congress. In the past month, three lawmakers from both political parties resigned from office after facing ethical investigations. With these three resignations, serious questions have been raised about whether the Ethics Committee is capable of effectively holding members of Congress accountable.
What is the House Ethics Committee?
The U.S. House Committee on Ethics, also known as the Ethics Committee, is a bipartisan committee that sets the standard for what behavior is considered ethical for members of the House of Representatives. Under this authority, the Ethics Committee defines ethical behavior, including campaign activities, staff treatment, conflicts of interest and more. The Ethics Committee also conducts investigations into members who may have violated these standards and can make recommendations to the whole House on what actions to take.
Who runs the Ethics Committee?
The Committee is the only standing committee of the House whose membership is evenly divided between the two political parties, with the majority party holding the committee's chairmanship. Currently, the Ethics Committee’s chairman is Republican Michael Guest, and the ranking member is Democrat Mark DeSaulnier of California. The committee also includes a nonpartisan staff that emphasizes commitment to impartiality.
California Democrat, Eric Swalwell
The most recent investigation into Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell has brought the Ethics Committee back into the public eye. Swalwell was a Democratic representative and running candidate for California governor. Swalwell recently resigned from office and suspended his candidacy in the 2026 California gubernatorial elections amidst allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Swalwell represented the 14th district of California and was seen by many as Gavin Newsom’s runner-up for the governor position.
On April 10th, CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle published a detailed report recounting the various instances of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, including a former staffer who accused him of rape. Swalwell denies the accusations and their legitimacy, citing his history as a prosecutor and a congressman who has protected women. However, it may look contrary after two of the women who spoke with CNN received cease-and-desist letters from Swalwell’s attorneys.
Texas Republican, Anthony Gonzales
Anthony Gonzales was a Republican Representative of Texas's 23rd congressional district, who also resigned on the same day as Swalwell. Gonzales was under investigation for engaging in sexual misconduct with an employee in his office. Gonzales publicly acknowledged the affair just before announcing not seeking reelection, but did not speak on the allegations. That same employee, Regina Santo-Aviles, died by self-immolation in September 2025.
Democrat, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was a Democratic Representative for Florida’s 20th congressional district and has now been charged with embezzling five million dollars in federal disaster relief aid and using it to fund her own campaign. McCormick was the subject of a more than two-year investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which found her in violation of multiple federal and House rules. She resigned from office just moments before the start of a hearing that could have led to a recommendation for expulsion from Congress. McCormick has continued to deny any wrongdoing but faces federal criminal charges. Her case is expected to go to trial next year.
Importance of Ethics
Expulsion from the Ethics Committee begins with a notice, followed by an investigation into any violations that may have occurred within the Office of Congressional Ethics. The OCC does not have subpoena power, so the Ethics Committee steps in and issues subpoenas for necessary testimony and documents. If the allegations are found to be true and the member has violated one or more laws, the committee then submits its recommendation to the House. A vote to oust a member of the House requires a two-thirds majority vote, a move that has rarely occurred in the history of the chamber.
Expulsions are rare in the House. Only six expulsions have ever occurred since its inception, with the most recent case being George Santos in December of 2023. One reason could be that many representatives resign from office just before the investigations are completed. This may be done to preserve the representative's public appeal while also maintaining a level of credibility within the House of Representatives.
The purpose of the Ethics Committee is to maintain public trust and ensure transparency within the House of Representatives. The committee itself doesn’t have any enforcement beyond recommendations, including expulsion, but the vote rests with the entire House to decide. The process is lengthy and requires a level of bipartisanship that can be incredibly difficult during the U.S.’s current political landscape. But the process remains integral to maintaining public trust in the government. It is important to have a process for removing a bad actor from power when they violate the law, as the actions of these Representatives do not reflect the needs and desires of the people they represent.
Steven Hernandez is a freshman at City College, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Specializing in sports reporting, he is currently following CCNY’s men’s soccer team with plans to follow more teams within the Beavers. Steven is also a full-time employee and a full-time student at City College.
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