The House Ethics Committee announced on Monday that it is investigating accusations against two Republican congressmen from Texas for potentially violating ethics rules by using campaign funds to pay membership dues at private social clubs.
One of the congressmen, referred to as Rep. Ronny Jackson, allegedly had his campaign committee pay over $6,800 in membership dues to The Amarillo Club, a fine dining club and gym in downtown Amarillo. The other congressman, identified as Rep. Wesley Hunt, reportedly had his campaign pay over $5,400 in dues to The Oak Room, a private social club in Houston.
The Ethics Committee clarified that the ongoing review does not imply confirmed violations of ethics rules and that further investigation is required.
Attorneys for Rep. Hunt defended the payments, stating that the memberships were used for meetings with campaign donors and consultants rather than personal purposes. They argued that utilizing campaign funds for such memberships was permissible under Federal Election Commission guidelines.
Both lawmakers did not cooperate with the investigations conducted by the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent body tasked with reviewing allegations against members of Congress and House staff.
Rep. Jackson, a former White House physician under Presidents Obama and Trump, has faced previous scrutiny, including allegations of professional misconduct during his nomination for Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
The House ethics manual prohibits the use of campaign funds for personal expenses and emphasizes that such funds should be dedicated to campaign or political purposes.
The investigations into the campaign fund expenditures at private social clubs continue as the Ethics Committee seeks to determine compliance with ethical standards and guidelines.
