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2w ago

Rep. Chuck Edwards Reported to Have Given Female Staffers Personalized Pink and Blue Handguns

House Ethics investigators are reviewing the gifts as part of a probe into alleged harassment and a hostile work environment that could affect his reelection bid.

Rep. Chuck Edwards at a House Appropriations Committee hearing on July 14. Photo: Finn Gomez/Getty Images
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WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 12: U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) departs after a candlelight vigil in honor of National Police Week at the U.S. Capitol on May 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. National Police Week commemorates law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. (Photo by Graeme Sloan/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Axios reported on Monday that Edwards gave two young female staffers personalized handguns in 2024, describing one blue gun engraved with a name and one pink gun as office gifts.
  • A lawyer for one of the former staffers told reporters the gift was unwelcome and said the staffer accepted it only out of fear of reprisal and later legally disposed of it.
  • Edwards has disputed claims of wrongdoing and said he taught staff to shoot and in some cases provided firearms while noting he was a licensed firearms dealer until November 2024.
  • The House Ethics Committee has an active inquiry into allegations the congressman created a hostile work environment through personal gifts and attention, and House rules do not explicitly ban members from buying staff gifts.
  • The revelations add to earlier reporting about intimate notes, surprise performances and trips and could have political consequences in his competitive western North Carolina district as his Democratic challenger outraised him in the latest quarter.