House Votes to Keep Sexual Misconduct Ethics Reports Confidential
Washington, Friday, 6 March 2026.
In a decisive 357-65 vote, a bipartisan coalition blocked the release of congressional sexual misconduct reports, prioritizing the confidentiality of ethics probes over Rep. Nancy Mace’s demand for immediate transparency.
Procedural Move Blocks Immediate Transparency
On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the House of Representatives voted to refer House Resolution 1072 to the Ethics Committee, effectively killing the measure [1][3]. The resolution, introduced by Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), would have mandated the public release of all reports regarding sexual harassment and sexual misconduct allegations against members of Congress and their staff within 60 days of adoption [3]. The final vote was 357-65, with one member voting present [3]. This overwhelming majority, representing approximately 84.597 percent of the voting members, consisted of 175 Republicans and 182 Democrats who opted to maintain the confidentiality of the ethics process [2]. Democratic leadership, while not formally whipping the vote, privately advised members to support the referral to prevent the publicization of unverified allegations [2].
The Ethics Committee’s Argument
The bipartisan leadership of the House Ethics Committee, Chairman Michael Guest (R-Miss.) and Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), strongly opposed Mace’s resolution [1]. In a statement released prior to the vote, the committee argued that forced disclosures “could chill victim cooperation and witness participation in ongoing and future investigations” [1][4]. They warned that releasing interim work products and interview transcripts could retraumatize victims and expose witnesses—who often cooperate under conditions of anonymity—to potential retaliation [1]. Consequently, the committee asserted that the resolution would have had a negative impact on its ability to investigate and eliminate sexual misconduct within the House [2][4].
The Catalyst: Allegations Against Rep. Tony Gonzales
Representative Mace forced the vote in response to specific allegations involving her colleague, Representative Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) [1]. Reports indicate that Gonzales allegedly sent sexual text messages to a female staff member, Regina Santos-Aviles, prior to her death by suicide in September 2025 [1][4]. While Gonzales has denied having an affair with the subordinate, he has not addressed the substance of the text messages since they came to light [1]. House rules adopted in 2018 explicitly prohibit lawmakers from engaging in sexual relationships with their own staff members [3].
A Rare Coalition of Dissent
Despite the broad bipartisan support for referral, a notable minority of 38 Republicans and 27 Democrats voted against burying the resolution [2][3]. This group included a diverse array of lawmakers, from progressives like Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to centrists in swing districts such as Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) [2]. On the Republican side, the dissenters included Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who has himself faced allegations of sexual harassment [4]. Following the vote, Mace condemned the result, asserting that “both parties colluded today to protect predators” and arguing that the establishment prioritizes self-protection over the safety of victims [2][4].