On Thursday, the House Ethics Committee released a year-old report from the Office of Congressional Ethics that provides more information about the ongoing investigation into Republican Rep. David Schweikert, pursuant to committee rules that require it to release OCE referrals a year after they are sent to the House.
The report, from August of last year, says that there was substantial reason to believe that Schweikert had “authorized compensation to an employee who did not perform duties commensurate with the compensation the employee received.” There was likewise substantial reason to believe the Arizona congressman had “solicited or accepted a loan, gift, or other contribution from a congressional employee” and had “failed to disclose required information in his annual House financial disclosure statements or FEC candidate committee filings.” The OCE did, however, dismiss the allegation that Schweikert had “improperly linked official activities to campaign or political support.”
Schweikert has repeatedly said that he’s seeking re-election, but he could be in for a real fight. His suburban Phoenix seat has been becoming a lot more competitive in recent years: It voted 60-39 for Mitt Romney, but Donald Trump carried it just 52-42. Even more alarming for Schweikert, Republican Martha McSally carried the 6th District by only a modest 51-47 margin in last year’s Senate race. And with a sprawling ethics mess now entangling him even further, Schweikert has put his own political future in deeper jeopardy.
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