- Outgoing members of Congress are required to pass along ongoing constituent service information to their successors.
- Madison Cawthorn did not do that.
Former Rep. Madison Cawthorn reportedly didn't hand over any of his office's constituent casework to his successor, Rep. Chuck Edwards, creating a mess for the freshman representative.
Members of Congress, outside of legislating, provide a series of services for members of their districts. This includes help obtaining government resources, casework, US Service Academy nominations, and more.
And when a legislator departs Congress, they're expected to pass along any casework and ongoing constituent services information to their successor in order to maintain guidance and leadership for their constituents. The deadline for signing over the database of information was December 23, 2022.
Cawthorn, his successor said, failed to do that.
Edwards is a fellow Republican who dispatched Cawthorn in a primary. His office said in a press release on Monday that he and his staff have "have no way of knowing which constituents had ongoing casework or other outstanding federal issues" and that there have been multiple attempts to reach Cawthorn — who's now living in Florida — and his staff, to no avail.
Edwards is now asking the public for help, requesting that anyone in his district with pending casework to reach out to his office.
"I ran on the issue of providing the best constituent service possible for the people of Western North Carolina," the congressman said per the release. "I ask that anyone with any pending casework contact my office immediately. In addition, I hope members of the media will help inform the public of this request. I would like to ensure that our veterans, the elderly, the infirm and others who need help get the full benefit of the services they are entitled to."