OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Rashida Tlaib
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Rashida Tlaib Exhibit 1 of 1
On August 16, 2019, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
Nature of the Review
Rep. Tlaib's campaign committee, Rashida Tlaib for Congress, reported campaign disbursements that may not be legitimate and verifiable campaign expenditures attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes. If Rep. Tlaib converted campaign funds from Rashida Tlaib for Congress to personal use, or if Rep. Tlaib's campaign committee expended funds that were not attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes, then Rep. Tlaib may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.
OCE Recommendation
The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Tlaib because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Tlaib converted campaign funds from Rashida Tlaib for Congress to personal use or Rep. Tlaib's campaign committee expended funds that were not attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes.
Committee Action
On November 14, 2019, 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).
On August 7, 2020, the Committee on Ethics released a statement concluding Representative Tlaib did not comply with the letter of the relevant laws and regulations governing her receipt of salary payments from her Campaign. However, the Committee also concluded that there was no evidence to show that Representative Tlaib intended to unjustly enrich herself and made efforts to ensure her compliance with the applicable requirements. In light of this, the Committee determined there was no sanction merited, provided that Representative Tlaib returns the funds that she improperly received to her Campaign in full within a year of the date of the Committee's Report.