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OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo

March 1, 2021
Investigations

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo

OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 1 of 10
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 2 of 10
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 3 of 10
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OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 5 of 10
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 6 of 10
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 7 of 10
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 8 of 10
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 9 of 10
OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo Exhibits 10 of 10

On September 2, 2020, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Rep. Steven Palazzo.

Nature of the Review

Rep. Palazzo's campaign committee, Palazzo for Congress, reported campaign disbursements that may not be legitimate and verifiable campaign expenditures attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes. If Rep. Palazzo converted campaign funds from Palazzo for Congress to personal use, or if Rep. Palazzo's campaign committee expended funds that were not attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes, then Rep. Palazzo may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

Rep. Palazzo may have improperly spent a portion of his Members' Representational Allowance (MRA) on personal or campaign expenses. If Rep. Palazzo spent MRA funds on personal or campaign expenses, then Rep. Palazzo may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.

Rep. Palazzo may have performed official actions to assist his brother, Kyle Palazzo. If Rep. Palazzo performed special favors for his brother, then Rep. Palazzo 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. Palazzo because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Palazzo converted funds to personal use to pay expenses that were not legitimate and verifiable campaign expenditures attributable to bona fide campaign or political purposes.

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Palazzo because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Palazzo spent MRA funds on personal or campaign expenses.

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Palazzo because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Palazzo performed special favors for his brother.

Committee Action

On March 1, 2021, 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).