House lawmakers clamoring for ethics reforms after wave of resignations

The surge of House resignations this month has triggered calls from both parties for a broader overhaul of the ethics process and how the chamber polices its own. 

While many lawmakers have welcomed the hasty departures of former Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), their cases have also stirred up plenty of frustrations about Congress’s internal handling of allegations of misconduct and the pace of the Ethics Committee’s subsequent investigations.

Those frustrations are now morphing into specific calls to revamp the ethics process, with leaders in both parties joining the growing chorus of lawmakers eyeing ways to improve the chamber’s oversight machinery, particularly when it comes to empowering women to report allegations of sexual misconduct.

“We are looking at every potential avenue to tighten up the rules and make sure that women have an avenue to report,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters this week. “We have to protect women and anyone who feels like there’s any inappropriate behavior whatsoever. So if there are ways to tighten the rules, suggestions, we’re seeking that from all members.” 

“I suspect you get bipartisan, almost unanimous, support to do that.”

What that process might look like remains unclear. But in the early stages, many lawmakers are pushing for reforms that would expedite investigations, at the very least, while others would go further to create new outlets for victims of abuse to lodge complaints without fear of reprisal.

Democratic leaders appear ready to jump on board. 

Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said the chamber should adopt “an expedited process for these types of allegations.” And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is also weighing reform options, saying he intends to work with the Ethics Committee and other “thought........

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