Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) signaled Tuesday that he would back a broader prohibition on sexual relationships between lawmakers and Capitol Hill staff, moving beyond current House rules that only ban such ties with directly supervised employees.
At a press conference, Johnson was asked directly if he would support extending the restriction to cover all congressional staff, as some top Republican women have urged. His reply: “Yeah.”
“I can’t believe it would be acceptable in any situation,” Johnson said. “You have a role where you have members of Congress and their subordinates and staff members — I think it’s inappropriate, as it would be in any workplace, and most companies have that.”
He added that Congress should “at a bare minimum … have rules and traditions that are adhered to in corporate America.” The current House Code of Official Conduct, adopted in 2018 during the Me Too movement, bans lawmakers from sexual relationships with staff under their direct supervision or with aides on committees they serve, but allows relationships with staff in other offices or committees. An exception exists for married couples.
The debate gained new urgency after a New York Post report last week revealed that Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), while a House member, had relationships with two aides to other Texas Democrats who did not report to him — conduct that violated no House rules. The Senate Ethics Committee recently closed an investigation into Gallego’s alleged misconduct, and Gallego dismissed the story as “gossip.”
House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) called for expanding the ban on Saturday, arguing that “even if a relationship is consensual, there is an inherent power imbalance that can undermine trust and create an appearance of impropriety.” Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), chair of the Republican Women’s Caucus, is leading a bipartisan effort to reform how Congress handles sexual misconduct, following the resignations of former Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) amid allegations of improper relationships with staff. Swalwell has denied wrongdoing; Gonzales admitted to the affair. Cammack posted on X: “Accountability cannot begin and end with resignations. Close the resignation loopholes. No more secret findings. No more special treatment.”
Johnson’s stance on staff relationships contrasted sharply with his response to questions about Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), both facing domestic violence allegations they deny. Johnson said he would not comment on ongoing investigations, noting the House Ethics Committee process applies to “Rs and Ds — both sides of the aisle.”
