Report reveals crying GOP lawmaker read a poem for female staffer who rejected him

A North Carolina Republican congressman currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee sent a young female staffer a guilt-laden text message after she declined his dinner invitation — and later wept while reading her a rhyming poem at her going-away party as the entire office looked on in discomfort, according to new reporting from Axios on Wednesday.

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC), 65 and married since 1980, told the staffer it was "disappointing to feel something that used to be easy has gotten complicated" after she pushed back on his dinner request in May 2025, citing rumors about their interactions. Edwards responded that he "didn't expect outside chatter to change that."

The newly revealed text exchange is part of a broader pattern of alleged conduct toward young female aides that includes casino trips, late-night drinking outings, unwanted compliments about the staffer's appearance, and a joint Las Vegas vacation — months after she left his employ.

Four sources told Axios that Edwards organized an unusually elaborate going-away party for the staffer, during which he read aloud a poem he had written for her. At the same time, a slideshow of the two of them played in the background. Edwards reportedly choked up and became tearful during the reading. He had not done anything similar for other departing aides.

The staffer told others she felt uncomfortable and "objectified" after Edwards repeatedly complimented her looks and outfits. She was also reportedly afraid that Edwards — who sources say still held influence over her career even after she left the office — would retaliate against her if she complained. Three sources said she eventually brought her concerns to Edwards' chief of staff, who spoke with the congressman shortly before she departed.

The congressman also left Capitol Hill during the workday to visit the staffer in the hospital when she was treated for appendicitis, two sources said. In a handwritten goodbye note reviewed by Axios, Edwards referenced the hospital visit: "From hospital visits to helping with your chores to sharing personal stories, I was always deeply moved that you trusted me with this openness."

When Edwards and the staffer later traveled together to Las Vegas in November 2025, he arranged for flowers to be waiting in her hotel room at the Bellagio. Two sources said she told him the flowers made her uncomfortable.

Edwards has flatly denied any wrongdoing. He told CNN this week that "the facts will have caught up with all the gossip and the rumor" once the Ethics Committee concludes its investigation. In a separate interview, he called allegations of improper conduct toward female staffers "horses—."

He did not respond to Axios' requests for comment on the specific incidents described in the latest report.