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Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., faces fresh allegations of sexual assault from a woman who disputed his characterization of their encounter as consensual. The accusation emerged Wednesday after the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into the lawmaker’s conduct with a congressional aide.
The woman’s legal team issued a statement rejecting Gomez’s Monday assertion that his behavior was “consensual in nature.” The attorneys characterized the situation as a “brazen” example of misconduct and vowed to work with the House Ethics Committee to ensure accountability.
Gomez had previously acknowledged making “mistakes outside [his] marriage” when the House Ethics probe was announced. He maintained that although his actions were consensual and did not violate law or House rules, he recognized the impact on those closest to him.
The woman’s lawyers called the incident part of a broader pattern of congressional predation. They urged House leadership to implement safeguards protecting young staffers and pledged to support any other survivors willing to come forward.
Gomez joins a growing list of House members facing misconduct allegations. Former Rep. Eric Swalwell, also a California Democrat, abandoned a gubernatorial campaign this year following rape accusations, while Republicans Tony Gonzales of Texas and Chuck Edwards of North Carolina withdrew from re-election races amid sexual harassment claims.
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