California Congressman Jim Costa (D) was investigated in 2023 over allegations that he made unwanted advances toward two young female interns, according to a report published by NOTUS.
The allegations against the longtime California Democrat stemmed from incidents involving interns in 2020 and 2021. Congressional ethics investigators ultimately closed the case without taking action after determining there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
One woman, who was 22 years old at the time and now works as a lobbyist, alleged that Costa behaved inappropriately toward her during an event hosted by a California nonprofit organization.
According to the complaint, Costa approached her as she attempted to leave the event and repeatedly encouraged her to stay and dance with him. The woman claimed she initially declined several times before Costa allegedly insisted they “shimmy” together near a checked bag area.
“Every time I leaned back, it seemed like he got farther forward,” the former intern alleged in testimony reviewed by NOTUS. “It was a very uncomfortable situation.”
The woman further claimed Costa later offered to help her congressional career, provided his personal phone number, and suggested they have dinner together. She alleged she felt pressured to comply because of his political influence and feared refusing could damage her future opportunities.
Texts reviewed by the outlet reportedly showed Costa later asking the intern to dinner again, though she instead proposed a midday meeting.
The complaint also detailed a separate alleged incident involving another female intern at a nonprofit event the following year. According to witnesses cited in the report, Costa allegedly danced closely with a Senate intern in a way that made attendees uncomfortable.
A male staffer told investigators that the second intern later became emotional and cried in a bathroom following the interaction.
Costa’s office said the congressman fully cooperated with both the Office of Congressional Conduct and the House Ethics Committee investigation, both of which eventually dismissed the matter.
“All ethics complaints should always be taken seriously,” Costa’s office said in a statement. “The OCC recommended dismissal, and the Ethics Committee unanimously voted to dismiss the matter.”
The report also revived scrutiny over a decades-old prostitution scandal involving Costa during his time as a California state assemblyman in 1986. At the time, Costa apologized publicly after Sacramento police alleged he had been involved in soliciting prostitution while traveling in a state-leased vehicle.
The renewed attention surrounding Costa comes as California politics continues facing fallout from separate misconduct allegations involving former Congressman Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress earlier this year following accusations of sexual misconduct that he has denied.
The post California Democrat Jim Costa Faced Probe Over Alleged Advances Toward Young Interns appeared first on Real News Now.
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