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Closed Investigations
This list includes members of Congress who have been under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the House Ethics Committee, theSenate Select Committee on Ethics (Senate Ethics Committee), the Office of CongressionalEthics (OCE) and in some cases, the Federal Election Commission (FEC). CREW compiledinformation about these investigations using official information provided by the investigativebodies, as well as media reports.
Representative Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
Under Investigation by:
The OCE and the House Ethics Committee.
Under Investigation for:
Rep. Aderholt was under investigation for allegedly improperlyretaining excess per diem funds while on official travel.
The stipend is meant to cover mealsand travel expenses, and members are directed to return excess funds.
In August 2010, Rep.Aderholt told the
Wall Street Journal
he didn't know if he had kept extra money because henever keeps receipts of his spending while overseas.
Status:
The OCE referred theinvestigation to the House Ethics Committee on July 30, 2010,recommending further review.
On November 15, 2010, the Democratic chairwoman and theRepublican ranking member of the House Ethics Committee extended the investigationinto Rep.Aderholt.
On December 31, 2010, the committee dropped the per diem investigation.
Representative Joe Barton (R-TX)
Under Investigation by:
The OCE.
Under Investigation for:
The OCE investigated Rep. Barton because of donations made to hisfoundation, the Joe Barton Family Foundation.
Rep. Barton is a member of the Energy and
1
House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, 111
th
Congress,
In the Matter of Allegations Relating to theUse of Per Diem on Official Trips
, Staff Report, December 30, 2010.
2
Id.
3
Letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Rep. Ike Skelton, May 13, 2010.
4
Wall Street Journal
, March 2, 2010.
5
House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, 111
th
Congress,
In the Matter of Allegations Relating to theUse of Per Diem on Official Trips
, Staff Report, December 30, 2010.
6
Id.
7
Press Release, House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, Statement of the Chair and RankingRepublican Member of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct Regarding Representatives RobertAderholt, G.K. Butterfield, Eliot Engel, Alcee Hastings, Solomon Ortiz and Joe Wilson, December 31, 2010.
8
Committee on Standards Weekly Summary Report, July 27-31, 2009. Available at:http://www.scribd.com/doc/51542467/Committee-on-Standards-Weekly-Summary-Report-July-27-31-2009.
9
Id.
Commerce Committee, and corporations with business before the committee made donations toRep. Barton’s foundation or to third parties in the name of the foundation.
Status:
On October 29, 2009, Rep. Barton said the OCE had cleared him of any wrongdoing.
Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
The
Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the OCE, and the HouseEthics Committee.
Under Investigation for:
The GBI launchedan investigation into a youth program for whichRep. Bishop had earmarked almost $200,000.
The OCE investigated the matter and referred it tothe House Ethics Committee.
Status:
In the first quarter of 2009, Rep. Bishop paid $25,000 in legal fees.
In March 2009, aGBI special agent said, “The FBI is aware of it, but there is not a criminal investigation at this
time.”
The OCE reportedly recommended dismissal of the allegations against Rep. Bishop.
Representative G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)
Under Investigation by:
The OCE and the House Ethics Committee.
Under Investigation for:
Rep. Butterfield was under investigation for allegedly improperlyretaining excess per diem funds while on official travel.
The stipendis meant to cover mealsand travel expenses, and members are directed to return excess funds.
Rep. Butterfield told the
Wall Street Journal
he sometimes kept money remaining from trips.
10
Id.; Lindsey Layton, Contributions to Rep. Barton’s Foundation Probed,
Washington Post
, October 30, 2009.
11
Layton,
Washington Post
, Oct. 30, 2009.
12
Committee on Standards Weekly Summary Report, July 27-31, 2009. Available at:http://www.scribd.com/doc/51542467/Committee-on-Standards-Weekly-Summary-Report-July-27-31-2009;GregBluestein and Ben Evans, US Rep. Bishop’s Link to Earmark Raises Questions,
Associated Press,
March 6, 2009.
13
Bluestein and Evans,
Associated Press,
March 6, 2009.
14
Id.
15
Committee on Standards Weekly Summary Report, July 27-31, 2009. Available at:http://www.scribd.com/doc/51542467/Committee-on-Standards-Weekly-Summary-Report-July-27-31-2009.
16
Jennifer Yachnin, Bishop Rings Up Big Legal Bill,
Roll Call,
April 28, 2009.
17
Chuck Williams, GBI agent: FBI Aware of Investigation into Muscogee County Marshall’s Office,
Ledger Enquirer
, March 9, 2009; Yachnin,
Roll Call,
April 28, 2009.
18
Lyndsey Layton, Dismissal Recommended for Earmark Ethics Allegation Against Rep. Bishop,
Washington Post
,Oct. 30, 2009.
19
House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, 111
th
Congress,
In the Matter of Allegations Relating to theUse of Per Diem on Official Trips
, Staff Report, December 30, 2010.
20
Id.
21
Letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Rep. Ike Skelton, May 13, 2010.
22
Id.
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