Nancy Mace moves to force vote on releasing misconduct reports, and Republicans are split

Representative Nancy Mace is preparing to force a House vote on releasing misconduct and harassment reports involving members of Congress and their staff. As reported by NBC News, the South Carolina Republican plans to file a privileged resolution next week that would require the House Ethics Committee to make the reports public.

The move comes after allegations involving Representative Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican who reportedly sent explicit text messages to a former aide he allegedly had an affair with. The aide later died by suicide, and an attorney for her husband confirmed the authenticity of the messages. Gonzales denied having an affair last year and has suggested he is being blackmailed by the widower and targeted ahead of his March 3 primary. He told reporters he “will not resign” and said, “What you’ve seen is not all the facts and there’ll be ample time for all of that,” without directly addressing the text messages.

Mace’s resolution would require the House Ethics Committee to release reports related to misconduct investigations. She has consulted with the parliamentarian and plans to file the measure as privileged on March 4 after making a minor adjustment. Once filed, House Republican leadership would have two legislative days to schedule a vote, either on the resolution itself or on a motion to table or refer it to committee.

Republicans are divided over how to respond

Mace has argued that Congress has failed to police its own members, saying both parties protect each other from embarrassment. She said she understands due process but believes accountability is necessary and has expressed frustration that no action has been taken despite the allegations against Gonzales circulating for months.

Several Republican lawmakers have publicly backed her stance. Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado criticized Gonzales and urged Speaker Mike Johnson to act. Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida said she does not believe Gonzales brings honor to the House and would remove him if she had the votes. Luna also criticized a congressional fund used to pay harassment settlements, writing on X that taxpayer dollars should not be used to resolve such claims. The week has also included coverage of Trump tariff workaround..

Other Republicans have taken a different view. Representative Troy Nehls of Texas said resigning “would be the worst thing he could ever do,” while acknowledging the optics are “horrible.” Speaker Johnson described the allegations as serious but said it is up to Gonzales to address the issue with his constituents.

Last year, Mace attempted to force a vote to censure Representative Cory Mills of Florida over misconduct allegations, but that resolution failed, with eight Republicans voting in support. The Office of Congressional Conduct has completed its investigation into Gonzales and is expected to send its findings to the House Ethics Committee next week. Elsewhere, the site also tracked Epstein survivors reaction.