July 12, 2023

Omar Ashmawy
Chief Counsel
Office of Congressional Ethics
U.S. House of Representatives
425 3rd Street, S.W., Suite 1110
Washington, DC 20024

Email: oce@mail.house.gov

RE: Rep. Eric Sorensen

Dear Mr. Ashmawy,

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas.
We request the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) immediately investigate whether
Representative Eric Sorensen has abused official resources for political purposes.

Rep. Sorensen has a campaign Twitter account (@EricSorensen) and an official Twitter
account (@RepEricSorensen).1 The biography section of his campaign account includes his
campaign logo and his campaign website, but he also directly links to this official Twitter
account.2 Immediately below his biography section, Sorensen has pinned a post that lists all of
his official social media accounts.3 His campaign profile and the improper links to official
accounts can be seen below:

1 Eric Sorensen, Twitter, Accessed July 7, 2023; Congressman Eric Sorensen, Twitter, Accessed July 7, 2023.
2 Eric Sorensen, Twitter, Accessed July 7, 2023.
3 Eric Sorensen, Twitter, Jan. 26, 2023.

www.factdc.org • 1717 K Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C., 20006 • Phone (202) 787-5860

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Campaign Account Profile Campaign Account Pinned Tweet

On his campaign account, Sorensen has made numerous posts using official government
resources, i.e. photographs taken from the capitol buildings, video taken from the House floor
and his House office, and official press releases from his official government website. Four
examples are below and more are attached in Exhibit A:

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Law. Federal law states that “appropriations shall be applied only to the objects for which
the appropriations were made except as otherwise provided by law.”4 The House ethics rules
enforce this law by also prohibiting Members from using any official resource for campaign or
political purposes.5 An “official resource” is anything funded by taxpayers, examples include: all
government buildings and House offices,6 a Member’s official website and social media
accounts,7 and photographs and video from the House floor or Committee proceedings.8
Conversely, a Member is prohibited from using campaign resources for official purposes.9

4 31 U.S.C. sec. 1301(a).

5U.S. House of Reps Comm. on Ethics, House Ethics Manual, at 123 (2022 Print) (official House resources “may
not be used for campaign or political purposes”).
6 Id. at 127.
7Id. at 131 (prohibiting the use of Member and Committee websites for political purposes); U.S. House of Reps.,
Comm. on House. Admin., Members’ Congressional Handbook, at 38 (Adopted Jul. 25, 2018; Updated Dec. 30,
2022) (“[C]ontent on Social Media Accounts is subject to the same requirements as content on Member websites”).
8 House Rule V, cl. 2(c)(1) (A Member is also specifically prohibited from using a House floor “recording” for “any
partisan political campaign purpose.”); House Ethics Manual, at 128 (“Broadcast coverage and recordings of House
floor proceedings may not be used for any political purpose under House Rule 5, clause 2(c)(1). In addition, under
House Rule 11, clause 4(b), radio and television tapes and film of any coverage of House committee proceedings
may not be used, or made available for use, as partisan political campaign material to promote or oppose the
candidacy of any person for public office.” (Emphasis added)); Report of the Comm. on Ethics, In re Lujan, Aug. 1,
2017, at 13 (stating a Member is prohibited from using a still image or photograph of House floor proceedings for
political purposes).
9Campaign funds may not be used for official expenses, including “communications” such as official website and
official audio and video recordings and materials. House Ethics Manual, at 177-78.

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Government Buildings. Official buildings are those that are paid for with taxpayer funds
and include any federal building, Congressional office space, and the Capitol.10 Members are
prohibited from engaging in any political activity within official buildings, such as doing
campaign work, holding political meetings, soliciting campaign funds, and taking photos or
video for campaign or political purposes.11

House Floor Video. Members are prohibited from using photographs and video of House
floor or committee proceedings for campaign or political purposes. This includes any photograph
or video footage of official proceedings even it was reposted from a third-party source, i.e.
another website or news organization.12 As the Ethics Committee has stated, “Members may not
re-use an image of a floor proceeding published by a third-party, if the Member could not use
that image in the first instance.”13

Websites and Social Media Accounts. Federal law and House ethics rules require a strict
separation between campaign and official websites and social media accounts. A Member’s
official website and official social media accounts may not be used for political purposes, and
cannot include any of the following: personal, political, or campaign information; grassroots
lobbying or soliciting support for a Member’s position; or a link to campaign or political related
accounts or sites.14

A Member’s campaign social media accounts may not include any official content or
resources, and cannot include a link to the Member’s official House website or social media

House Ethics Manual, at p. 127. The Committee on Ethics explains “official buildings . . . include[s] not only any
10
House office building, but also all district office space, any Senate office building, the Capitol, the Library of
Congress, and any federal building.” U.S. House of Rep. Comm. on Ethics, Memorandum from the Comm. to All
Members, Campaign Activity Guidance, Aug. 15. 2014, at 3.
11“The House buildings, and House rooms and offices – including district offices – are supported with official funds
and hence are considered official resources. Accordingly, as a general rule, they may not be used for the conduct of
campaign or political activities. Thus, for example, a Member may not film a campaign commercial or have
campaign photos taken in a congressional office. . . . In addition, House rooms and offices are not to be used for
events that are campaign or political in nature, such as a meeting on campaign strategy, or a reception for campaign
contributors.” House Committee on Ethics, General Prohibition Against Using Official Resources for Campaign or
Political Purposes (accessed June 12, 2023).
12Derivative use of House floor photographs and video is prohibited. In re Lujan, at 13 (citing U.S. House of Rep.
Comm. on Ethics, Memorandum from the Comm. to All Members, Campaign Activity Guidance, Aug. 15. 2014, at
16).
13 Id.
14 House Ethics Manual, at 131; see also Member’s Congressional Handbook, at 38-39 (“A Member’s official
website and social media accounts are prohibited from including any personal, political, or campaign information,
links to campaign-related websites, and “grassroots lobbying or solicit[ing] support for a Member’s position.”).

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accounts.15 A Member’s campaign social media account “may not share, like, retweet, etc., a post
from an official social media account.”16

Official Press Release. A campaign may never use an official press release that contains
official indicia (e.g. letterhead or logo) or official contact information.17 A campaign may not
share an official press release from an official website or social media account.18

The laws at issue in this case protect taxpayer-funded resources from abuse and theft and
strict enforcement addresses the public’s concerns that incumbents wrongfully use government
funds to run for reelection.

Rep. Sorensen’s Abused Official Resources for Political Purposes. The legal
violations in this case are obvious and there are no facts that can excuse them. First, Sorensen
has violated the ethics rules by advertising his official social media accounts on his campaign
account. The ethics rules clearly provide that a Member’s campaign website and social media
accounts may not link to a congressional official site, and a congressional official website or
social media account may not be advertised on any materials issued by the Member’s campaign.
On his campaign Twitter account, Sorensen directly links to his official Twitter account in his
biography section and also advertises all of his official social media accounts immediately below
this in a pinned tweet. Both are clear violations of the ethics rules.

Sorensen has also used numerous official resources for campaign purposes, including
official buildings, official House video obtained from CSPAN, official websites, and press
releases. In numerous social media posts identified above and attached, Sorensen has taken
photos in his capitol office and buildings and in several of these photos he is wearing his
Congressional pin. It is clear these photos were taken for political purposes because he posts
these photos on his campaign social media accounts, often times making clear political
statements along with the photos. This violates the rules prohibiting taking photos for political

15See, e.g., House Ethics Manual, at 178 (“A Member’s campaign website may not include a link to the
congressional office site”; and “A congressional office site may not be advertised on the Member campaign website
or on materials issued by the Member’s campaign.”).
16Committee on Ethics, Memorandum for All Members, Officers, and Employees on Campaign Activity Guidance
(June 7, 2018), at 15-16.
17 Id. Generally, a official item has exhausted it’s official use when it has been released to the pubic and the
congressional office is no longer using it, including not approving on any official site or being used for an official
purpose. Id. However, an exception applied to an official press release. “[A]n official press release has exhausted its
official use 72 hours after its release. If the press release announces an event, the press release exhausts its official
use after the event occurs, or 72 hours after the press release is issued, whichever is later.” Id. Once an official press
release has exhausted its official use, a campaign may use the language of the press release, i.e. word-for-word
republication of it’s content. Id.
18 Id.

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purposes in official buildings. In other social media posts, Sorensen has re-posted a CSPAN
video of the House floor on his campaign social media accounts. Reposting a CSPAN video on a
campaign social media account is a direct violation of the ethics rules which forbids reposting
official footage even if obtained from a news source. Finally, Sorensen has also linked to official
press releases on his campaign social media account, which is a direct violation of the ethics
rules prohibiting campaign social media accounts from containing official materials. Sorensen’s
social media posts violating federal law are numerous and obvious—a consistent disregard for
the ethics rules.

The laws at issue in this case are important because not only do they protect taxpayer-
funded resources from abuse, they also protect the integrity of official proceedings. One issue the
House Ethics Manual acknowledges is the public perception that incumbents are simply using
their office to run for re-election or to run for a higher office,19 and the reason for that perception
is quite evident in Rep. Sorensen’s actions. These laws must be strictly enforced to reduce the
incentive for Members to abuse official proceedings to make political statements as shown in this
case. In addition to violating the specific laws, his use of official resources does not reflect
credibly on the House.20

The Office of Congressional Ethics is responsible for ensuring each Representative

fulfills the public trust inherent in the office and that they comply with the House’s ethical
standards. Therefore, we urge the Board to immediately investigate whether Representative
Sorensen used official resources for campaign purposes in violation of the House ethics rules.

To the best of my knowledge and ability, all evidence submitted was not obtained in
violation of any law, rule, or regulation. Further, I am aware that the False Statements Act, 18
U.S.C. § 1001, applies to information submitted to the Office of Congressional Ethics.

Sincerely,

/s/Kendra Arnold

Kendra Arnold
Executive Director, Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust

19House Ethics Manual, at 123 (stating the laws and rules prohibiting use of official resources for political purposes
reflect “the basic principle that government funds should not be spent to help incumbents gain reelection”).
20 Members are required to “conduct themselves at all times in a manner that reflects creditably on the House.” Id. at
1, 12 (citing House Rule 23, clause 1).

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Exhibit A

Sorensen’s Campaign Twitter Abusing Official Resources

Sorensen Has A Campaign Twitter
Account Showing A Campaign Logo
And Linking To His Official Member
Account

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, Accessed 6/23/23

On June 21, 2023, Sorensen

Retweeted CSPAN Video Of A House
Floor Vote Featuring Comments From
Speaker McCarthy.

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 6/21/23

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On June 7, 2023, Sorensen Retweeted
An Interview with CSPAN’s
Washington Journal while Wearing
His Member Pin.

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 6/7/23

On May 25, 2023, Sorensen shared an

image of the House floor on his
campaign account with a political
statement, demonstrating he took a
photo for campaign purposes in an
official building.

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 5/25/23

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On May 18, 2023, Sorensen Shared
An Image Of A House Floor Vote On
CSPAN

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 5/17/2023

On April 27, 2023, Sorensen shared an

image of himself wearing his Member
pin in what appears to be an official
building.

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 4/27/23

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On April 20, 2023, Sorensen
Retweeted A Post Which Linked To
His Official House Press Release On
Local Funding Projects

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 4/20/23

On March 28, 2023, Sorensen

Retweeted CSPAN Video Of A House
Floor Debate

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 3/28/23

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On March 28, 2023, Sorensen
Recorded A Video From His
Congressional Office While Wearing
His Member Pin

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 3/28/23

On March 24, 2023, Rep. Sorensen

Retweeted CSPAN Video Of A House
Floor Debate

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 3/24/23

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On March 23, 2023, Rep. Sorensen
Retweeted CSPAN Video Of A House
Floor Debate

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 3/23/23

On February 7, 2023, Sorensen

Tweeted An Image Of Members On
The House Floor And Asked Viewers
To Follow His Official Account

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 2/7/23

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On January 11, 2023, Sorensen
Tweeted An Image From A House
Conference Room

Eric Sorensen, Twitter, 1/11/23

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Sorensen’s Campaign Facebook Social Media Posts Using Official Resources
Sorensen Has A Campaign Facebook
Account, which states “Eric Sorensen
For Illinois Is Responsible For This
Page”

Eric Sorensen, Facebook, Accessed 6/27/23

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On May 31, 2023, Rep. Sorensen

Shared An Image From The House
Floor Featuring Members Voting.

Eric Sorensen, Facebook, 5/31/23

On May 25, 2023, Rep Shared An

Image From The House Floor.

Eric Sorensen, Facebook, 5/23/23

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On January 31, 2023, Sorensen Posted

A Picture With His Congressional Pin.

Eric Sorensen, Facebook, 1/23/23

Sorensen’s Campaign Instagram Account Abusing Official Resources

Sorensen Has A Campaign
Instagram Profile, which has a
uFeatures A Link To His Official
Instagram Account And Campaign
Website

ericforillinois, Instagram, Accessed 6/27/23

On May 18, 2023, Sorensen Shared

An Image Of The House Floor

ericforillinois, Instagram, 5/18/23

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On February 28, 2023, Sorensen
Shared An Image Of His
Congressional Office

ericforillinois, Instagram, 2/28/23