OCE Referral Regarding Ms. Cynthia Martin
OCE Referral Regarding Ms. Cynthia Martin Exhibits
On October 13, 2016, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Ms. Cynthia Martin.
Nature of the Review
From May 2013 to September 2014, Cynthia Martin may have misappropriated $16,500 that was mistakenly transferred into her Congressional Federal Credit Union bank account. Subsequent to notification by both bank representatives and law enforcement, Ms. Martin initially refused to return the funds to their rightful owner. On March 30, 2016, Ms. Martin pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property, a misdemeanor under Washington, DC law. If Ms. Martin wrongfully obtained the property of another, then she may have violated Washington DC law, House rules, and standards of conduct.
From April to August 2016, Cynthia Martin received compensation from the House of Representatives at a time when she may no longer have been working for the House. If Ms. Martin accepted compensation that was not commensurate with the work she was performing, then she may have violated House rules and standards of conduct.
OCE Recommendation
The Board recommended that the Committee on Ethics further review the allegation that Cynthia Martin violated Washington, DC law, House rules, and standards of conduct, as there is substantial reason to believe that she wrongfully obtained and refused to return the property of another.
The Board recommended that the Committee on Ethics further review the allegation that Cynthia Martin accepted compensation that was not commensurate with the work she performed, as there is substantial reason to believe that she continued to receive compensation at a time when she was no longer providing services to the House, in violation of House rules and standards of conduct.
Committee Action
The Committee on Ethics made no public statement regarding this matter.
Public Disclosure
Pursuant to section 1(f)(1)(B) of H. Res. 895, on February 3, 2017, the Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics voted unanimously to release the OCE’s report and findings concerning former House employee Ms. Cynthia Martin, as the Board determined that release was mandated by the Resolution and House rules.