Investigative Report·House Committee on Ethicspending

Activities of the Committee on Ethics for the 118th Congress

Published January 2, 2025339 pages

Briefing

This is the Committee on Ethics report summarizing its activities for the 118th Congress (2023–2024). It lists committee membership and staff, statistics about advice, training, travel approvals, financial disclosure work, and investigative activity. The report describes 41 investigative matters (15 referrals from OCE), three investigative subcommittees (George Santos, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Henry Cuellar), public statements, and specific public investigative actions and reports transmitted to the House.

People Named

Allegations

[high]Representative George Santos allegedly engaged in unlawful activity related to his 2022 campaign, failed to properly disclose required information, used campaign funds for personal purposes, engaged in fraudulent conduct with RedStone Strategies LLC, and sexually misconducted an individual seeking employment.

[high]Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick allegedly violated campaign finance laws in connection with 2022 campaigns, failed to properly disclose required information to the House, accepted voluntary services for official work from an individual not employed in her office, requested community project funding directed to a for-profit entity, and misused official funds for campaign purposes.

[high]Representative Henry Cuellar was charged in federal court with conspiracy, bribery, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, and violating foreign agents registration provisions; ISC to review whether he solicited or accepted bribes, acted as a foreign agent, violated money laundering laws, misused official position, or made false disclosures.

[high]Representative Matt Gaetz allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges to personal acquaintances, sought to obstruct government investigations, and earlier allegations of sharing inappropriate images and misusing records were not pursued by the Committee.

[medium]Representative Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm and entered a deferred sentencing agreement; Committee considered but did not impanel an ISC and later determined further review was moot after House censure.

[medium]Allegations that various Members' campaign committees reported disbursements that were not legitimate or verifiable campaign expenditures (Sanford Bishop, Bill Huizenga, Wesley Hunt, Ronny Jackson, Alex Mooney, Troy Nehls, Doug Lamborn, Cory Mills), and in some cases alleged misuse of Members' Representational Allowance (MRA).

[medium]Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez allegedly accepted impermissible gifts related to attendance at the 2021 Met Gala.

[medium]Representative Andy Ogles allegedly omitted or misrepresented required information in financial disclosure statements and FEC reports and accepted excessive contributions reported as personal loans.

Findings

[referred]The ISC investigating Representative George Santos found substantial evidence he knowingly caused false or incomplete FEC reports, used campaign funds for personal purposes, engaged in fraudulent conduct with RedStone Strategies LLC, and knowingly and willfully violated the Ethics in Government Act regarding House Financial Disclosure Statements; the Committee referred substantial evidence of potential federal criminal violations to DOJ.

[other]At the completion of its investigation, the Committee found Representative Matt Gaetz did not violate federal sex trafficking laws but did engage in sexual misconduct, use illegal drugs, violate the House Gift Rule, dispense special privileges to personal associates, and attempt to obstruct the Committee's investigation; Representative Gaetz resigned on November 14, 2024; Committee transmitted a report with dissenting views to the House.

[no violation]The Committee concluded Representative Bill Huizenga and his staff generally acted within the law regarding campaign and official funds but found reporting and reimbursement practices were not fully compliant; the Committee unanimously determined a sanction was not merited and issued a private letter outlining expectations for safeguards.

[no violation]The Committee voted not to impanel an ISC and took no further action regarding misdemeanor charges against Representative Michael McCaul after the charge was dismissed; the Committee reported to the House and took no further action.

[no violation]The Committee dismissed matters referred by OCE regarding Representatives Sanford Bishop, Wesley Hunt, Ronny Jackson, and Alex Mooney and announced dismissal of those investigations.

[no violation]The Committee determined not to continue review of Representative Jamaal Bowman after the House had censured him and confirmed compliance with sentencing terms; the Committee did not further review the matter.

[pending]The Committee established ISCs for George Santos, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, and Henry Cuellar; as of the end of the 118th Congress, the Cherfilus-McCormick and Cuellar ISCs had not completed their investigations and were pending.