House Ethics Committee investigates Democratic Rep. Alma Adams North Carolina According to a NOTUS report, it was alleged that he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a female employee.
The investigation, which is being conducted without disclosure, examines allegations in a 2022 ethics complaint about Adams and his assistant, Sandra Brown. The investigation did not ultimately result in formal charges or public disciplinary action, the NOTUS report said.
Adams has denied any wrongdoing, and her office has yet to provide detailed public comment on the nature of the allegations.
Read more: U.S. Congress releases list of House members under investigation for sexual misconduct
The alleged relationship between Adams and Brown
Ethical House investigated Brown’s self-published novel “BossLady: The Legend of Sydney Donovan Begins,” which details a battle between a woman and her lover’s husband. The novel was published under the pseudonym Savit Brown, and the author’s Amazon website refers to her as “Sandra Austin Brown.”
Brown has said the fictional story is “loosely based on her life,” according to the New York Post.
Aides who met with ethics investigators were questioned about Brown’s trip to Adams’ one-bedroom apartment in Washington, D.C., the publication reported
Their alleged relationship also resulted in a “hostile work environment” in which Brown influenced important choices and even replaced higher-level employees, the report said.
After “a senior staff member” filed a complaint with the ethics committee, six former Adams aides were found guilty of misconduct between January and September 2023. charlotte The incident also occurred in Washington, D.C., according to people involved in the investigation who spoke to NOTUS.
That same year, Brown was promoted to deputy chief of staff and subsequently appointed regional director for Congresswoman Charlotte’s office.
Read more: Lori Chavez Dremer resigns: What are the misconduct allegations against her?
Adams denies any wrongdoing
Representatives from Adams’ office said in a statement Thursday that the House Ethics Committee report did not violate any House rules. they said in the comments. “Congresswoman Adams fully cooperated with the House Ethics Committee’s review, which was thorough and detailed.”
The statement further reads, “Because the committee’s comprehensive review found no violations of any House rules, no penalty recommendation was made to the full House, and the committee’s review remains confidential.”
Adams’ office further noted that she was “recommended” to “ensure that all employees know they can raise any concerns without fear of retaliation and that no employee receives actual or perceived preferential treatment.”
A growing behavioral trend in Congress
Congress has faced multiple controversies in recent days involving allegations of sexual misconduct or inappropriate relationships. Nearly two dozen House members were named Monday after an Ethics Committee investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. Adams is not on the list.
former representative Lori Chavez DremerThe woman who resigned as President Trump’s labor secretary on Monday paid a staggering $98,650 to resolve at least two allegations of sexual misconduct against her husband under terms of discrimination based on sex or workplace.
However, Adams has not been identified as one of several members required to pay settlements from a taxpayer-funded “slush fund” for sexual harassment or employment discrimination.
The committee’s chairman, Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., told NOTUS that the committee “does not intend to release the names of individuals who are the subject of allegations that we cannot substantiate.”
