Fact check: How many federal lawmakers have been charged with sex-related crimes since 2000?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal that while there have been numerous federal political sex scandals since 2000, the sources do not provide a definitive count of federal lawmakers who have been formally charged with sex-related crimes ^[1]. Wikipedia maintains a comprehensive list of federal political sex scandals that includes various forms of sexual misconduct by federal lawmakers, including affairs, sexual harassment, inappropriate relationships with staff and minors, and other ethical violations ^[1]. However, these sources document scandals and allegations rather than formal criminal charges.

A notable recent case involves Matt Gaetz, where the House Ethics Committee found substantial evidence of sexual misconduct, including potential statutory rape, paying women for sex, and drug use, though the Department of Justice ultimately did not bring criminal charges ^[2]. This illustrates the distinction between documented misconduct and formal criminal charges.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the distinction between scandals, allegations, and formal criminal charges. The analyses show that many cases involve ethical violations or civil matters rather than criminal prosecutions ^{[1] [2]}.

Additionally, the question focuses solely on federal lawmakers, but one source indicates that 147 state lawmakers across 44 states have been accused of sexual harassment or misconduct since 2017 alone ^[3], suggesting the scope of the issue extends beyond federal officials and may be more widespread at state levels.

The analyses also reveal ongoing allegations against President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees regarding sexual misconduct ^[4], indicating that the issue affects not just elected lawmakers but also appointed federal officials.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains a misleading premise by asking specifically about "charges" when the available data primarily documents scandals, allegations, and ethical violations rather than formal criminal charges ^[1]. This framing could lead to underestimating the actual scope of sexual misconduct among federal lawmakers, as many cases result in resignations, censures, or civil settlements rather than criminal prosecution.

The question also arbitrarily limits the timeframe to 2000, potentially excluding relevant historical context, and focuses exclusively on federal lawmakers while ignoring the broader pattern of misconduct across all levels of government ^[3]. This narrow framing may serve to minimize the perceived scope of the problem by excluding state-level data that shows more comprehensive numbers.