Key takeaways: NC Rep. Alma Adams ethics investigation into staff relationship

Rep. Alma Adams, a Charlotte-area Democrat, was the subject of a 2023 House Ethics Committee investigation into an accusation that she had a relationship with her current deputy chief of staff. The investigation — first reported by NOTUS and confirmed by McClatchy — was not previously publicly known.

Here are key takeaways:

• The accusation: The Ethics Committee investigated a claim that Adams, 79, had a relationship with Sandra Brown, her deputy chief of staff and district director. Brown has worked with Adams since 2014.

• Adams denies wrongdoing: Adams said in a statement she fully cooperated with the committee and that it closed the matter after finding no violations of House rules and no inappropriate or improper relationship.

• Hostile work environment alleged: A former staffer told McClatchy that Adams’ preferential treatment toward Brown affected everything in the office from constituent services to employees’ mental health. In 2022, Adams had the second-highest staff turnover of any member of Congress, according to Legistorm.

• Adams was advised to act: Adams’ statement said she was advised to ensure no staff received preferential treatment and that all staff could raise concerns without fear of retaliation.

• Her name was absent from a key list: A list of 28 members investigated for sexual misconduct allegations released by the Ethics Committee on Monday did not include Adams. The committee’s staff director declined to comment on why.

• Broader context: The news comes as several members of Congress have faced ethics investigations involving inappropriate relationships with staff members, leading to three resignations.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists. To learn more about how The Charlotte Observer is using AI in our newsroom, see our policy here.

This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 9:48 AM.