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OCE Referral Regarding Mr. Michael Collins

August 9, 2017
Investigations

OCE Referral Regarding Mr. Michael Collins

OCE Referral Regarding Mr. Michael Collins Exhibits 1 of 2
OCE Referral Regarding Mr. Michael Collins Exhibits 2 of 2

On May 11, 2017, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Mr. Michael Collins.

Nature of the Review

From March 2015 until January 2017, Mr. Michael Collins, the Chief of Staff to Rep. John Lewis, served as Treasurer for the John Lewis for Congress campaign committee (the "campaign committee"). Mr. Collins received consulting fees from the campaign committee for work that may have involved fiduciary duties. Through his employment at the House of Representatives, Mr. Collins receives a salary that qualifies him as senior staff. If Mr. Collins received compensation for providing services to the campaign committee that involved a fiduciary relationship or served for compensation as an officer of the campaign committee, then he may have violated House rules and federal law.

In calendar year 2015, the campaign committee paid Mr. Collins $27,550.00. In calendar year 2015, the outside earned income limit for senior staff was $27,225.00. If Mr. Collins received more than $27,255.00 in income from the campaign committee in 2015, then he may have violated House rules and federal law.

OCE Recommendation

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the allegation that Mr. Collins improperly received compensation for his work for the campaign committee, as the Board finds that there is substantial reason to believe that Mr. Collins received compensation for practicing a profession that involved a fiduciary relationship with the campaign committee and for serving as an officer to the campaign committee.

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the allegation that Mr. Collins received compensation in 2015 that exceeded the outside earned income limitation for senior staff, as the Board finds that there is substantial reason to believe that Mr. Collins received more than $27,255.00 in compensation from the campaign committee in 2015.

Committee Action

On August 9, 2017, the Committee on Ethics released a statement indicating it would continue to gather information necessary to complete its review. The Committee published the OCE report and findings and announced the allegations would be further reviewed pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a).