New Platform Allows Anonymous Reviews of Congressional Offices

Capitol Hill staffers often depend on private interactions and anonymous social media accounts to gauge the environment of their workplaces. A fresh initiative provides a verified avenue to anonymously rate and review congressional offices and the members who lead them. Capitol CNCT, a centralized resource platform for congressional employees, unveiled a new tool named “The Scoop” on July 20. This feature allows verified staff to share anonymous reviews of their workplaces.

David Tennent, a former staffer, launched Capitol CNCT to enhance the experience for young congressional employees in Washington, D.C. He stated that the concept for the ranking system originated from frustrations about “bad bosses” and “toxic offices” within Congress.

The west front of the U.S. Capitol is reflected in the reflecting pool at dusk on July 22, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)

“I wanted to introduce more transparency to help staffers access the best opportunities possible,” Tennent explained in an interview.

Within a week of its introduction, verified reviews have started to reveal the workplace culture across Capitol Hill. Although most ratings are still few, the highest-ranked House offices include Reps. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, and Robert Garcia, D-Calif. In the Senate, Sens. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Todd Young, R-Ind., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Eric Schmitt, R-Miss., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., led in ratings.

Conversely, the five lowest-rated offices belong to Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo. These offices did not respond to requests for comments on their ratings.

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The absence of a centralized human resources department for congressional offices complicates staffers’ ability to report toxic or abusive environments. “The Scoop” aims to provide a dependable platform for feedback from verified staff members.

“We verify their office affiliation,” Tennent stated. “We review all entries before they appear on our platform to confirm the reviewer actually worked in that office.”

House lawmakers sit in the chamber on Capitol Hill. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Reviews are published only if the individual providing feedback passes Capitol CNCT’s background checks, ensuring they have worked for the Congress member being reviewed. The process verifies the legitimacy of the House and Senate email addresses associated with the review.

Tennent expressed concern about creating a platform for political retaliation. “Nearly twice as many reviews are from Republican offices compared to Democrat offices so far,” he noted.

The platform’s launch coincides with increased scrutiny of workplace culture on Capitol Hill after several misconduct allegations surfaced this year. Some Congress members resigned following allegations of inappropriate conduct toward their staff.

For instance, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, resigned in April after staff accusations of sexual misconduct, including rape against Swalwell.

“We managed to launch amidst a crucial discussion on ethics and morality within Congress,” Tennent highlighted.

Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 06, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Though the app primarily aims to inform prospective staffers about workplace conditions, Tennent also hopes it will provide constructive criticism for Congress members. “Our goal is that poorly rated offices will see this as a wake-up call and improve office morale and communication,” he expressed.

Hannah is a Production Assistant for the Politics team at Fox News Digital.