The House Ethics Committee interviewed a number of Rep. Alma Adams’ former aides as part of an investigation into an alleged inappropriate relationship between the lawmaker and a staffer who works out of her North Carolina district office, NOTUS has learned.

Over the course of several months in 2023, committee staff interviewed roughly half a dozen former aides — some of whom were working for Adams at the time — in Washington and Charlotte, North Carolina, about Adams’ relationship with her now-deputy chief of staff and district director, Sandra Brown, according to four people interviewed by the committee who were granted anonymity to speak freely about the sensitive matter.

The interviews started as early as January 2023 and continued until at least September 2023. Adams, now 79, was made aware of the ethics complaint filed against her in the summer of 2022, according to the people NOTUS spoke with.

The exact nature of Adams’ relationship with Brown is unclear, but a high-ranking staffer filed a complaint with the committee after the staffer was told by colleagues that the congresswoman was in a relationship with an aide. All of the people that spoke with NOTUS said that at the very least, Brown’s extremely close relationship with Adams resulted in a hostile work environment. Adams repeatedly led the North Carolina delegation in staff turnover.

The Ethics Committee investigation was not announced and has not been previously reported. The committee has not released its findings, but the fact that investigators traveled to North Carolina to conduct interviews indicates the scope of the probe.

The committee declined to comment when asked about Adams, but Chair Michael Guest, who does not comment on any individual cases, said the committee does “not intend to publish the names of individuals against who allegations have been made that we are unable to substantiate.”

At least one former staffer told NOTUS they were interviewed in a hotel in North Carolina.According to several sources,witnesses interviewed were peppered with questions about their time in the congresswoman’s office and about a different staffer who was being investigated for financial mismanagement.The line of questioning, however, quickly narrowed to Adams’ relationship with Brown.

“I got asked a very direct question about whether or not they were having an inappropriate relationship,” said one person who spoke with the committee, referring to Adams and Brown.

A spokesperson for Adams said that “the Committee closed the matter after finding no violation of any House Rules and, most importantly, no inappropriate or improper relationship.”

“Ultimately, the Committee advised that Congresswoman Adams should work to ensure that no staff received preferential treatment, actual or perceived, and that all staff were aware they could raise any concerns without fear of retaliation,” the spokesperson added, saying that Adams did not face any penalties because she hadn’t broken any rules.

Source: Drudge Report