MapWatchScheduleDaily RecordMembersCommitteesLegislationNominationsMoneySpecial RulesSubpoenasHouse EthicsForeign InfluenceAgenciesRegulationsOffice SpendingUS Code

Get a weekly summary of what Congress did, delivered every Sunday.

  • About
  • How Congress Works
  • Quiz
  • Congress Wrapped
  • Support Us
  • Roadmap
  • Health
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
WhiteHouse.wiki•SCOTUS.wiki
Congress.wiki Alpha

This is not an official government website.

© 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.

Search⌘K
MapWatchScheduleDaily RecordMembersCommitteesLegislationNominationsMoneySpecial RulesSubpoenasHouse EthicsForeign InfluenceAgenciesRegulationsOffice SpendingUS Code
Investigative Report·House Committee on Ethicspending

Activities of the Committee on Ethics for the 118th Congress

Published January 2, 2025339 pages
View source PDFOriginal source

Briefing

This is the Committee on Ethics report summarizing its activities during the 118th Congress (2023–2024). It lists the Committee membership and staff, describes advice and education work (training, advisory opinions, publications), financial disclosure work, travel approvals, confidentiality rules, and investigative activity. The report summarizes 41 investigative matters, identifies several public investigative matters (including ISCs for Reps. George Santos, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, and Henry Cuellar), and states overall dispositions (many matters pending, some dismissed, some reports transmitted to the House or DOJ).

People Named

  • Michael Guest — other
  • Andrew R. Garbarino — other
  • Michelle Fischbach — other
  • Susan Wild — other
  • Veronica Escobar — other

Allegations

  • [high]Representative George Santos: unlawful activity related to 2022 campaign; failure to properly disclose financial information; misuse of campaign funds; fraudulent conduct at RedStone Strategies; sexual misconduct toward an employment applicant.
  • [high]Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick: possible campaign finance violations in 2022 special election/re-election; failures to disclose required information; acceptance of voluntary services by non-staff; potential misuse of official funds and improper community project funding; campaign contribution reporting issues.
  • [high]Representative Henry Cuellar: soliciting or accepting bribes/gratuities/improper gifts; acting as a foreign agent; violating money laundering laws; misusing official position for private gain; false statements/omissions on public disclosure statements.
  • [high]Representative Matt Gaetz: sexual misconduct; illicit drug use; acceptance of improper gifts; dispensing special privileges/favors to personal acquaintances; obstruction of the Committee’s investigation (found to have engaged in sexual misconduct, drug use, Gift Rule violations, and obstruction).
  • [medium]Representative Jamaal Bowman: misdemeanor charge for pulling a fire alarm; related allegations reviewed by OCE (false alarm and obstruction allegations dismissed by OCE).
  • [medium]Representative Sanford Bishop, Jr.: campaign committee disbursements not attributable to bona fide campaign purposes; possible impermissible MRA expenditures.
  • [medium]Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: alleged acceptance of impermissible gifts associated with attendance at the 2021 Met Gala.
  • [medium]Representative Troy Nehls: campaign disbursements that may not be legitimate campaign expenditures; omissions on annual House financial disclosure statements.
  • [low]Representative Bill Huizenga: campaign disbursements possibly not attributable to bona fide campaign purposes; reporting and reimbursement practice deficiencies.

Findings

  • [referred]ISC found substantial evidence that Representative George Santos knowingly caused false or incomplete FEC reports, used campaign funds for personal purposes, engaged in fraudulent conduct in RedStone Strategies LLC, and willfully violated the Ethics in Government Act regarding House Financial Disclosure Statements; ISC referred substantial evidence to DOJ.
  • [other]Committee completed investigation into Representative Matt Gaetz and found he did not violate federal sex trafficking laws but did engage in sexual misconduct, use illegal drugs, violate the House Gift Rule, dispense special privileges and favors to personal acquaintances, and seek to obstruct the Committee’s investigation; Gaetz resigned; Committee transmitted a report with dissenting views to the House.
  • [no violation]Representative Bill Huizenga: Committee concluded campaign and staff generally acted within the law; found reporting/reimbursement deficiencies due to confusion or lack of knowledge; no sanction recommended and private letter sent.
  • [no violation]Representative Michael McCaul: Committee reviewed misdemeanor public intoxication charge and voted against impaneling an ISC; submitted a report to the House and took no further action.
  • [other]Representative Jamaal Bowman: Committee concluded further review was moot after the House censured Bowman and confirmed compliance with deferred sentencing; no further Committee action.

This summary is generated by AI from the official document. Read the source PDF for the authoritative text.

  • [medium]Representative Ronny Jackson: campaign disbursements possibly not legitimate/verifiable campaign expenditures.
  • [high]Representative Mike Kelly: allegation that spouse purchased stock based on material nonpublic information learned by Representative Kelly.
  • [medium]Representative Doug Lamborn: misuse of official resources for personal/campaign purposes; solicitation/acceptance of improper gifts from subordinates.
  • [medium]Representative Alex Mooney: campaign disbursements potentially not bona fide; omitted information from FEC reports; possible misuse of MRA and staff time for campaign purposes.
  • [low]Representative Wesley Hunt: campaign disbursements possibly not bona fide.
  • [low]Representative Victoria Spartz: misdemeanor charge for carrying a weapon in an airport terminal (resolved with dismissal after gun safety course).
  • [medium]Representative Andy Ogles: omissions or misrepresentations in FD statements or FEC reports; excessive contributions reported as personal loans; candidate-sourced funds possibly not personal funds.
  • [low]Representative Michael McCaul: misdemeanor public intoxication charge (dismissed); Committee declined to impanel ISC.
  • [unknown]Representative Cory Mills: matter referred by OCE; under review at end of 118th Congress.