OCE Referral Regarding Rep. John J. Duncan Jr.
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. Exhibits
On January 4, 2018, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Rep. John J. Duncan Jr.
Nature of the Review
Rep. John J. Duncan Jr.’s campaign committee, Duncan for Congress, and leadership PAC, Road to Victory PAC, reported campaign disbursements that may not be legitimate and verifiable campaign expenditures attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes. If Rep. Duncan converted campaign funds from Duncan for Congress or the Road to Victory PAC to personal use, or Rep. Duncan’s campaign committee or leadership PAC expended funds that were not attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes, then Rep. Duncan may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.
Rep. Duncan’s campaign committee may have accepted campaign contributions from individuals who were employed by his congressional office at the time the contributions were made in the form of individual outlays on behalf of Duncan for Congress that later were reimbursed by the campaign committee. If Rep. Duncan failed to ensure that his campaign committee complied with applicable laws regarding contributions from employees, then he may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.
OCE Recommendation
The Board recommended that the Committee on Ethics further review the above allegations concerning Rep. Duncan because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Duncan’s campaign committee and leadership PAC expended funds that were not attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes.
The Board recommends that the Committee on Ethics further review the above allegations concerning Rep. Duncan because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Duncan failed to ensure that his campaign committee complied with applicable laws regarding contributions from employees.
Committee Action
On April 4, 2018, 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 announced the allegations would be further reviewed pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a).