The House of Ethics Committee investigated Democratic Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina over an allegation of an “inappropriate relationship” with a female staffer, according to a report by NOTUS.
The investigation was not disclosed during its course and examined claims in a 2022 ethics complaint regarding Adams and her aide, Sandra Brown.
Adams has denied any wrongdoing, and her office has not issued detailed public comments on the nature of the allegations.
The alleged relationship between Adams and Brown led to a “hostile work environment,” with Brown influencing important choices and even superseding higher-ranking employees.
After a high-ranking staffer submitted a complaint with the Ethics Committee, six former Adams aides were interrogated between January and September 2023 in Charlotte and Washington, DC.
Despite the allegations, the House of Ethics committee reported no violation of any House rules, and no penalties were recommended to the full House.
Adams' office noted that she was “advised” to “make sure that all employees were aware they could raise any concerns without fear of retaliation and that no staff received preferential treatment, actual or perceived.”
