- An increasing number of members of US House members won't cooperate with the independent
Office of Congressional Ethics . - The report from the
Campaign Legal Center said that 5 of the 8 lawmakers under ethics investigation aren't cooperating.
In 2021, Rep.
But when members of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics reached out to interview Rutherford and his chief of staff for their investigation, the two refused to cooperate.
Rutherford and his chief of staff's reticence to aid in Office of Congressional Ethics investigations are part of a growing phenomenon in the US
Five out of eight members of Congress that the Office of Congressional Ethics has in 2022 publicly acknowledged investigating have refused to cooperate with the office, according to the Campaign Legal Center report.
And since 2009, 30 members in the House have refused to cooperate with Office of Congressional Ethics investigations, the report concludes.
Matters under investigation have included campaign finance transactions, personal investments, suspected conflicts of interest, travel habits, and gift acceptance.
"Voters have a right to know that members of Congress are acting both ethically and transparently, and by refusing to participate in the review process, members make it harder for voters to know whether they are," report author Danielle Caputo wrote. "It also makes it more difficult for the OCE to conduct its review effectively."
The Office of Congressional Ethics is a nonpartisan body, created by Congress itself in 2008, that investigates allegations of misconduct by House members and staff.
The office cannot, however, compel members of Congress to cooperate with their investigations and does not have law enforcement power of its own. It refers cases to the House Committee on Ethics when it has reason to believe a member of the US House or a House staffer has violated a law or ethical standard.
Sitting members of Congress the Campaign Legal Center says have refused to cooperate with Office of Congressional Ethics investigators include:
- Rep.
Pat Fallon of Texas, a Republican - Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, a Democrat
- Rep.
Ronny Jackson of Texas, a Republican - Rep.
Doug Lamborn of Colorado, a Republican - Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a Democrat
- Rep.
Alex Mooney of West Virginia, a Republican - Rep. John Rutherford of Florida, a Republican
- Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, a Republican
- Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi, a Republican
- Rep. Lori Trahan of Massachusetts, a Democrat
- Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona, a Republican
- Rep. Roger Williams of Texas, a Republican
- Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, a Democrat
- Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, a Republican
Other members who are not currently in office but are mentioned in the report include former Reps. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina — Meadows later became Donald Trump's presidential chief of staff.
Deceased members of Congress, including Rep. John Conyers of Michigan and Rep. Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota, also rejected requests to cooperate with Office of Congressional Ethics investigations.
Insider contacted the offices of each sitting member of Congress who the report accuses of not cooperating with ethics investigators.
Most did not immediately respond, although a spokesperson for Tlaib told Insider that the congresswoman complied with the Office of Congressional Ethics and House Committee on Ethics investigations.
As for Rutherford, the Office of Congressional Ethics referred its findings — without the congressman's input — to the House Committee on Ethics, which is composed of members of Congress themselves has the power to punish fellow members for actions deemed unethical or illegal.