Rep. Jimmy Gomez accuser told House Ethics Committee he sexually assaulted her, attorneys say

Attorneys allege Rep. Jimmy Gomez’s conduct was non-consensual, contradicting his public statement

Legal team files statement with committee

Qwenews.com – Attorneys Lisa J. Banks and Sarah E. Nesbitt issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that a client — a woman who has not made her name public — told the House Ethics Committee that Representative Jimmy Gomez, a Democrat from California, sexually harassed and assaulted her. The lawyers pushed back directly against the congressman’s earlier characterization of the events.

“We represent one of the women who was interviewed by the House Committee on Ethics about her experience of sexual harassment and assault by Representative Jimmy Gomez,” the attorneys said. “Contrary to Representative Gomez’s assertion in his statement, his actions were not ‘consensual in nature’ with respect to our client. We fully expect that the House Committee on Ethics will come to the same conclusion in its investigation.”

CNN has not independently verified the attorneys’ claims. Gomez did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new allegations. It remained unclear from his prior remarks about a consensual relationship whether he was describing interactions with the same woman.

Committee opens formal probe

The Ethics Committee announced on Monday that it had launched an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against the California congressman, who represents portions of Los Angeles. The panel cited “engaging in inappropriate sexual contact” with a staffer as a potential violation of House ethics rules.

A committee spokesperson declined to comment on the attorneys’ Wednesday statement. The panel also noted that the mere existence of an investigation, along with its public disclosure, “does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.”

Gomez acknowledges “personal mistakes” but disputes the framing

On Monday, Gomez conceded that he had made “personal mistakes outside my marriage,” yet maintained that his conduct “were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House Ethics rules.” He added that he would “cooperate with any Ethics Committee inquiry and provide it with whatever information it might need.”

How the investigation began

Three sources told CNN exclusively in June that the ethics panel was already examining the California congressman’s conduct. Those sources, who requested anonymity to protect their identities, explained that the committee had made early outreach efforts to follow up on a New York Post report alleging that Gomez was seen kissing an aide — someone employed by a different member of Congress — in 2023.

At the time, a Gomez spokesperson told The Post that the accounts were “not true” and the incident “didn’t happen.” While probing that claim, one source told CNN, the panel uncovered additional allegations of sexual misconduct against Gomez, which it is now investigating.

CNN’s Alison Main and Annie Grayer contributed to this report.