Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, NC-11, was sanctioned but will not pay a fine following a bipartisan commission’s finding he violated Congressional communication standards when he sent constituents newsletters attacking President Joe Biden.
The House Communications Standards Commission found Edwards violated House rules that prohibit members from using taxpayer resources or franking privileges unrelated to official duties.
The commission looked into Edwards’ constituent mail following a complaint from Leslie Carey, chair of the Henderson County Democratic Party. In March, Carey alleged Edwards’ office violated federal law when he sent email newsletters with criticism of Biden and the president’s son, Hunter Biden.
While a violation was issued, Edwards faced no financial penalty because there was no postal charge associated with electronic mail, according to his office. The franking rules refer to members of Congress sending updates and mailers to constituents free of postage.
Edwards’ general election opponent Democrat Caleb Rudrow blasted the Republican online, saying he “abused the power of his office to score political points.”
But Edwards says Democrats were attempting to put a “gag order” on him, to block him from “talking about Joe Biden's disastrous policies.” The congressman contends he had a right to send the newsletters – now deemed a violation – to highlight his work on the House Oversight Committee.
“I was proud to be a member of the House Oversight Committee during this time, and was proud of the work we did on that committee - and in the full House - investigating President Biden’s and his family’s business dealings,” Edwards said in a statement. “My constituents deserved to know what actions we were taking, and I felt it was important to share those details with them.”
Carey, in her complaint, however, charged Edwards’ communications were “hyper-partisan” and sent “with no other purpose than to demean and disparage the president and his son.” In a separate complaint to House ethics leaders, Carey pointed to other constituent communications from Edwards focused on his claim that “crime is out of control in Asheville.” In this case, the House commission did not find evidence of a violation.
After the commission’s findings against Edwards in the Biden-related emails, Carey said in a statement: “No one is above the law, as Chuck Edwards often says, and of course that includes him. He should stop attacking the Biden family in these illegal newsletters, and spend more time working on issues that really matter to his constituents.”
Edwards began his term as congressman in 2023. His district stretches across a 15-county region from Rutherford County to Cherokee County.
“I did not go to Washington to make nice with Joe Biden, so while I’ll do a better job of crossing my ‘i’s and dotting my ‘t’s, I will not be robbed of my First Amendment rights by this hyper-partisan complaint, nor deterred from communicating with my constituents,” Edwards wrote.
Under House rules, the first violation penalty is a written warning and mandatory training.
