Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Representative Corrine Brown
In accordance with House Rule XI, clause 3, and Committee Rules 10(a)(2) and 18, the Committee on Ethics (Committee) unanimously voted on March 16, 2016, to establish an Investigative Subcommittee. Pursuant to the Committee's action, the Investigative Subcommittee shall have jurisdiction to determine whether Representative Corrine Brown violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other applicable standard of conduct in the performance of her duties or the discharge of her responsibilities, with respect to allegations that she engaged in improper conduct relating to certain outside organizations, including allegations that she may have conspired with other persons in connection with fraudulent activity, improperly solicited charitable donations, used campaign funds for personal purposes, used official resources for impermissible non-official purposes, failed to comply with tax laws, and made false statements, and/or failed to make required disclosures, to the House of Representatives and Federal Election Commission.
The Honorable Patrick Meehan will serve as the Chairman of the Investigative Subcommittee, and the Honorable John Larson will serve as the Ranking Member. The other two members of the Investigative Subcommittee are the Honorable Martha Roby and the Honorable Terri A. Sewell.
The Department of Justice has asked the Committee to defer consideration of the matters in the Investigative Subcommittee's jurisdiction. The Committee, following precedent, unanimously recommended to the Investigative Subcommittee that it defer action on its investigation at this time. No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules.