From left to right, Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Wesley Hunter, R-Texas, Ronnie Jackson, R-Texas, and De Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw showed off a temporary tattoo of the state of Texas in honor of Texas Independence Day. Later, on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
Tom Williams | Chongqing Roll Call Company | Getty Images
The House Ethics Committee said on Monday it would review a report from a congressional watchdog agency and found “good reason” to believe that U.S. Reps. Ronny Jackson and Wesley Hunter used thousands of dollars in campaign funds for personal use.
The campaign committees of the two Republican congressmen representing districts in Texas have made payments to private social clubs for years, according to separate reports from the independent Office of Congressional Ethics.
Jackson’s committee, the Texans backing Ronny Jackson, spent nearly $12,000 between 2020 and 2024 on dues, fees, meals and other expenses related to the Amarillo club, which is the A dining club, gym and meeting room in Amarillo, Texas. office discovery.
Hunter’s campaign committee paid more than $5,400 in dues and fees in 2022 and 2023 to the Oak Room, a private club at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston. According to OCE.
In both reports, the office said it found “good reason to believe” that each member of Congress diverted campaign funds from their campaign committees “for personal use” or that their committees “spent money not in good faith.” campaign or campaign finance.” political purpose. “
The bipartisan House Ethics Committee said in a press release Monday afternoon that it received a referral from OCE regarding Jackson and Hunter in late March. The group, led by Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Michael Guest and Pennsylvania Democratic Party ranking member Susan Wild, jointly decided on May 9 to review the matter.
Hunter’s press release included lengthy responses from the congressmen’s lawyers, who Denies any campaign funds Redirected to personal use.
“All payments made by Hunting Congress to the Post Oak Hotel, including Post Oak Club membership fees, were used solely for campaign-related purposes,” the congressman’s attorney wrote in a 12-page response. and not for any personal purposes.
Hunter “has not established a campaign office,” the attorney wrote, and he believed the Oak Room membership fee “would be a more prudent use of campaign funds than renting a campaign office in Houston.”
A spokesman for Hunter’s office told CNBC, “We believe we have cooperated fully with the House Ethics Committee and expect this matter to be dismissed soon.”
Jackson’s office did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. The ethics committee’s press release related to Jackson did not include any response from his representatives.
The OCE report states that if any member of Congress’s campaign committee spends funds “not for bona fide campaign or political purposes,” that member “may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.”
The report said that neither Jackson nor Hunter cooperated with their investigation, although Hunter “initially” provided “some limited information.” OCE recommended that the House Ethics Committee issue subpoenas to both members of Congress.
Jackson served as the White House physician under then-Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump before joining Congress in 2020. previously accused OCE misused campaign donations at Amarillo club.
In the more than two years since the House Ethics Committee unveiled the allegations, Jackson’s campaign “continued to make payments” to the Amarillo club, according to a report released Monday.
About The Author
