1. United States
2. Ind.
3. Letter

I am writing to strongly urge you to support Rep. Nancy Mace's resolution requiring the public release of House Ethics Committee reports on congressional sexual harassment investigations. This measure would direct the committee to preserve and publicly release, within 60 days of adoption, all reports tied to investigations into members accused of sexually harassing staff or engaging in sexual relationships with staffers, with victims' personally identifiable information redacted. House Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest has called this proposal "detrimental" to the investigative process, yet his opposition protects the very culture of secrecy that enables misconduct to continue unchecked. If Chair Guest cannot support basic transparency measures that protect congressional staff while maintaining victim privacy, his leadership of the Ethics Committee should be reconsidered. The committee's primary obligation is to the victims and to public accountability, not to shielding members from scrutiny. The current system has failed. Under existing Office of Congressional Conduct rules, reports cannot even be transmitted until after elections, as we are seeing with the investigation related to Rep. Tony Gonzales, where the report cannot be sent until after his March 3 primary. This creates a deliberate delay that keeps voters in the dark during critical decision-making periods. Once referred, the Ethics Committee can extend deadlines by another 45 days or simply dismiss matters entirely. Rep. Mace is correct when she states that members of Congress seem to protect each other, creating an environment where no one is held accountable. Congressional staff deserve a workplace free from harassment and assault. Constituents deserve to know whether their representatives are abusing their positions of power. Transparency after investigations conclude, with appropriate redactions to protect victims, is the minimum standard we should demand. I strongly urge you to support this resolution when it comes to the floor and to advocate for leadership changes on the Ethics Committee if Chair Guest continues to prioritize protecting members over protecting staff and maintaining public trust.