Republican lawmaker welcomes House Ethics probe into sexual misconduct allegations against him

By Fox News · Fox News

A House Republican facing sexual misconduct allegations said he welcomes the chance to set the record straight after the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into the claims. "They are baseless allegations designed to impact the campaign driven by those who want to settle old political scores," Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We welcome the ethics inquiry because it allows for facts to be entered into the record, not public allegations designed to drive media interests." Edwards, 65, is accused of sexual misconduct toward at least two younger female staffers, according to multiple reports. Axios first reported the existence of the ethics probe. The two-term lawmaker, who has been married since 1980, has denied any wrongdoing. Fox News Digital has not independently verified the allegations. NORTH CAROLINA GOP TOWN HALL TURNS HEATED AS SELF-DESCRIBED VETERAN ESCORTED OUT BY SECURITY Under House rules, lawmakers are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with aides under their supervision. The ban does not extend to staffers employed by other offices. The House Ethics probe comes as Edwards is facing a competitive re-election challenge in November’s midterm elections. The North Carolina Republican is a top target of House Democrats’ campaign arm, which is supporting Democrat Jamie Ager to try and flip Edwards' seat in the red-leaning district. Ager, a fourth-generation farmer, issued a statement this week indicating the allegations against his competitor could become a flash point in the battleground contest. "Corruption or abuses of power in any way are unacceptable," Ager said. "The people of Western North Carolina deserve to hear from their representative about what these allegations are." The House Ethics Committee has yet to publicly announce its investigation into Edwards, which could take months — or even years — to complete unless the panel moves to dismiss the case. A spokesperson for the House Ethics…