Lawmakers urge ethics crackdown amid wave of political scandals

  • A group of lawmakers from both parties is pushing congressional leaders to crack down on ethical misbehavior, and in some cases illegal behavior, amid a recent string of scandals.
  • Rep. Max Miller (R., Ohio) faces growing pressure to drop his re-election bid over domestic abuse allegations that he denies.
  • Reps. Eric Swalwell (D., Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R., Texas) resigned from Congress this year, and Rep. Chuck Edwards (R., N.C.) dropped his re-election bid, over ethics scandals.
  • Graham Platner withdrew from Maine’s Democratic Senate race last month following abuse allegations he says aren’t true.

Resignations, withdrawals span both parties ahead of next Congress

Rep. Max Miller (R., Ohio) is under growing pressure to drop his re-election bid amid allegations of domestic abuse, which he denies, according to a report Friday in The Wall Street Journal.

The pressure on Miller is part of a recent wave of ethics-related exits touching lawmakers in both parties. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R., N.C.) dropped his re-election bid amid his own ethics scandal. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D., Calif.) resigned from Congress a few months ago amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct, which he also denies. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R., Texas) resigned at the same time as Swalwell amid threats of expulsion over an affair he allegedly had with a congressional staffer. And Graham Platner, the Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, dropped out of the race last month following abuse allegations, which he says aren’t true.

Political scandals are nothing new, the Journal noted — former Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.) is currently in federal prison — but the report said they appear to be happening with heightened frequency lately.

The report cited a vocal group of lawmakers from both parties who are pushing congressional leaders to crack down on ethical misbehavior. With a large number of new lawmakers arriving in Congress next year and public faith in Capitol Hill in the doldrums, the Journal reported, there could be an opportunity to substantially change how the chamber polices its members.

The account was written by Damian Paletta, The Wall Street Journal’s Washington coverage chief, in the paper’s Politics newsletter.