Pursuant to Committee Rule 7(g), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined on December 2, 2011, to release the following statement:
On August 6, 2009, the Committee received a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) regarding Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. The Committee’s review of the OCE referral was deferred under Committee Rule 17A, pursuant to a request by the Department of Justice, until October 13, 2011. Pursuant to House Rule XI, Clause 3(a)(8)(A) and Committee Rules 17A(b)(1)(A) and 17A(c)(1), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee jointly decided on October 18, 2011 to extend the Committee’s review of the matter until December 2, 2011. In order to gather additional information necessary to complete its review, the Committee will continue to review the matter pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a). The Committee notes that the mere fact of conducting further review of a referral, and any mandatory disclosure of such further review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee.
In order to comply with Committee Rule 7 regarding confidentiality, out of fairness to all respondents, and to assure the integrity of its work, the Committee will refrain from making further public statements on this matter pending completion of its initial review.
Pursuant to Committee Rule 17A(c)(2), the Committee on Ethics hereby publishes OCE’s Report and Findings regarding Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., and Representative Jackson’s response.