OCE Referral Regarding Rep. David Schweikert
OCE Referral Regardng Rep. David Schweikert Exhibits
On April 16, 2018, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Rep. David Schweikert.
Nature of the Review
Rep. David Schweikert may have authorized expenditures from his Members’ Representational Allowance (“MRA”), made by or on behalf of his Chief of Staff Oliver Schwab, that were not for permissible official expenses. If Rep. Schweikert authorized impermissible MRA expenditures, then he may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.
Rep. Schweikert’s campaign committees may have accepted contributions from an individual who was employed in Rep. Schweikert’s congressional office, in the form of individual outlays that later were reimbursed by the campaign committees. If Rep. Schweikert failed to ensure that his campaign committee complied with applicable rules regarding contributions from congressional employees, then he may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.
OCE Recommendation
The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegations concerning Rep. Schweikert because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Schweikert authorized expenditures from his MRA, made by or on behalf of his Chief of Staff Oliver Schwab, that were not for permissible official expenses.
The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegations concerning Rep. Schweikert because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Schweikert failed to ensure that his campaign committee complied with applicable rules regarding contributions from congressional employees.
Committee Action
On June 28, 2018, the Committee established an Investigative Subcommittee to conduct an inquiry regarding this matter.
On April 17, 2019, the Committee on Ethics released a statement indicating the matter referred is currently within the jurisdiction of an Investigative Subcommittee (ISC). Pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(8)(B)(iii) and Committee Rule 17A(f)(2), if an ISC does not conclude its review within one year after receiving a referral from the OCE, the Committee shall make public OCE's report no later than one year after the referral. Accordingly, the Committee is making public OCE's Report in the matter referred to the Committee on April 16, 2018.
On July 30, 2020, the Committee released a report stating that the ISC unanimously concluded there was substantial reason to believe that Representative Schweikert violated House Rules, the Code of Ethics for Government Service, federal laws and other applicable standards in connection with campaign finance violations and reporting errors by his authorized campaign committees; misused his Members' Representational Allowance for unofficial purposes; pressured official staff to perform campaign work; and lacked candor and due diligence during the investigation. The Committee unanimously accepted the ISC's recommendations that the Committee submit a public report to the House, and that the adoption of that report will serve as a reprimand of Representative Schweikert for his misconduct and impose a fine in the amount of $50,000.