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.
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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.
Multiple former aides told the committee that Brown appeared to spend long stretches at Adams’ one-bedroom apartment on New Jersey Avenue in Washington, sources said. And at least one former aide said Brown, who worked out of the Charlotte office, sometimes appeared in the background of virtual calls the congresswoman participated in from her Washington apartment.
Witnesses were also asked about a self-published novel authored by Brown, “BossLady: The Legend of Sydney Donovan Begins,” that touches on a woman who clashes with her lover’s husband. Brown wrote the book under a pseudonym but reveals her identity in the author’s section of her Amazon page. Brown told at least one aide that the book was loosely based on her life, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told NOTUS.
Some staffers described witnessing in-person and virtual shouting matches between Adams and Brown. Others described Brown as having an out-sized managerial role in the office, oftentimes overruling higher-ranking aides.
Adams’ spokesperson did not address those allegations, and Brown did not return a detailed request for comment.
“Your standing with Sandra impacted your standing with Alma,” one former aide told NOTUS, adding that current staffers are still seeking advice on how to navigate the office’s dynamics.
Brown worked with Adams during her time in the North Carolina state Legislature as an administrative assistant. Her roles in Adams’ congressional office spanned from scheduler to deputy chief of staff over a period of about a decade.
The Ethics Committee recently said that it has conducted 20 investigations related to allegations of sexual misconduct by members of Congress since 2017. But the committee identified only 15 lawmakers who faced allegations that had previously been made public. Adams’ name was not listed.
Guest explained why the committee would have omitted those five names.
“In general, because those matters were looked into by the committee, and we could not verify the allegations that were made,” Guest told NOTUS.
House members are prohibited from engaging in romantic relationships with any House employee directly under their supervision, according to an amendment in the chamber’s official code of conduct.
None of the sources are alleging that Adams’ relationship with Brown was nonconsensual but recent allegations against multiple lawmakers have resulted in high-profile probes by the committee, with several lawmakers resigning as a result.
Former Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas had been under investigation for sexual misconduct. Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Multiple women, including a former aide, have accused former Rep. Eric Swalwell of an array of sexual misconduct, from sending explicit photos to rape. Swalwell has denied the allegations against him. Both men resigned from Congress last week.
The Ethics Committee is also investigating Florida Rep. Cory Mills for sexual misconduct, among other allegations ranging from campaign finance violations to improperly receiving gifts. Mills has denied wrongdoing and remains in Congress but faces an expulsion threat.
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