Representative Nancy Mace will force a vote on releasing reports of sexual misconduct by members of Congress

WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Nancy Mace plans to force the House to vote next week on her decision to release reports of sexual misconduct and harassment involving members of Congress, she told NBC News on Wednesday.

The South Carolina congressional resolution would require the House Ethics Committee to release all sexual misconduct or harassment reports involving its members or staff.

He made the announcement after multiple outlets, including NBC News, reported that GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, sent graphic sex messages to a former aide he allegedly had an affair with. The aide later died by suicide and her husband’s lawyer confirmed the authenticity of the documents to NBC News.

Gonzales denied last year that he had an affair with an aide and suggested he is the victim of widow accusations and political attacks as he faces a March 3 contest in Texas.

He was defiant, telling reporters, “I will not resign.”

When asked on Tuesday if these dating allegations are true, he replied: “What you have seen is not all the truth and there will be enough time for all that.”

When asked about these messages, Gonzales did not answer, rather he said that he will not resign.

Mace said he had been in contact with the senator about his decision and that he had one tweak to make before he would put it in as “good luck.” He plans to make that proposal on March 4.

If he does, House Republican leadership will have two legislative days before they can schedule a floor vote. That could be a vote on Mace’s own resolution — which would put members on the record about releasing reports of sexual harassment and harassment involving co-workers — or another vote to table the legislation or send it to committee.

Mace expressed doubts about whether enough lawmakers would vote to support his decision.

“When will we start being the police and we haven’t done that yet because both sides are protecting each other from shame,” he said.

The Office of Congressional Conduct, a nonpartisan and independent agency, conducted and concluded the investigation into Gonzales, as NBC News previously reported. It is expected to submit its findings to the House Ethics Committee next week. It is not clear whether the House Ethics Committee has opened its own investigation into Gonzales’ allegations.

Mace has called for Gonzales to resign, joining a number of other House Republicans in doing so — most of them GOP women.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., told reporters that Gonzales was a “disgusting pig,” as she left the Capitol on Wednesday. He added that House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., “has to do something about it.”

Johnson, who has a small stake, called the allegations “serious” but said it was up to Gonzales to resolve the issue with his members.

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, meanwhile, said stepping down would be “the dumbest thing he could do” when asked by NBC News about the resignation calls.

“Does it look good? No. I don’t like the look of it,” Nehls said. “You’ve got a problem here. Don’t get me wrong, the sights are pretty bad, but I’m not going to wipe it off right now.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is among those supporting Mace’s effort and said Tuesday: “I don’t think he brings credit to the House of Representatives and if I got the votes tomorrow, I would remove him from office.”

Luna also committed to a congressional fund that members can use to settle claims of sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace, as allowed under the Congressional Accountability Act.

“Congress ethics are a joke. They have a lot of dirt on members of Congress, and they don’t do anything,” he wrote in X. “There is even a fund that is used to pay people with your tax dollars. … It makes me angry because while some of us are working and blowing our asses, these clowns are sexually abusing their workers, doing illegal trade etc.”

Mace told NBC News he would be “fine” with firing Gonzales, but also said: “My problem is we don’t do it for everybody.”

“This is a good boys’ club, and women who come to work on the Mountain need to be respected, whether you’re a member of Congress and you’re a woman or you’re a female employee,” she said. “We all have to be treated with respect and dignity and professionalism, and it shouldn’t be about quid pro quo or sexual propositions. You can’t do that, and we have to do our policing to restore trust in the institution.”

Mace has shared personal stories about sexual abuse and was one of the Republicans who helped push for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Last year, Mace tried to force a vote on reprimanding another Republican – Rep. Cory Mills of Florida – who was accused of indecency with women.

Mills allegedly threatened to release the ex-girlfriend’s sexual videos and photos, according to a police report obtained by NBC News. A judge issued a restraining order against Mills that was requested by the woman. Mills denied that he made a mistake and the speaker also stood by him.

Mace’s resolution against Mills failed, but eight Republicans voted to support it; six of them are women.

Johnson’s handling of the allegations involving some of the male attorneys has greatly frustrated some Republican women at the convention.

“We’re sweeping everything under the rug,” Mace told NBC’s Tom Llamas on Tuesday evening. “I understand due process and all that, but at some point, people have to be accountable.”

“Everybody on the hill knows this has been going on for months now,” he said of Gonzales’ allegations, “and no action has been taken.”