(TruthAndLiberty.com) – House Democrats are pushing for an ethics probe into House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, alleging that he has exploited his impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden to solicit campaign contributions for his reelection.
“The focus of James Comer has been on boosting his campaign funds rather than addressing the concerns of his constituents,” stated Kyle Herrig, executive director of the Democrat-aligned Congressional Integrity Project, as reported by The Washington Examiner. Herrig criticized Comer’s leadership on the Oversight Committee, accusing him of using the committee’s activities to benefit himself and former President Donald Trump, rather than conducting genuine oversight.
The Congressional Integrity Project has formally requested the Office of Congressional Ethics to evaluate whether Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, has breached House rules. These rules forbid lawmakers from linking campaign fundraising efforts to their official duties. The group highlighted instances from Comer’s campaign communications that connected fundraising appeals directly to the impeachment proceedings. This includes a March email where the campaign sought donations while announcing preparations for criminal referrals based on the investigation’s findings.
Additionally, the letter cites another email that involved the Oversight Committee’s efforts to acquire audio files from an interview conducted by special counsel Robert Hur regarding Biden’s classified documents. The email portrayed the audio files as potentially pivotal in swaying swing voters against Biden, which the group argues demonstrates a misuse of official committee work for campaign fundraising purposes.
Last month, the Congressional Integrity Project also urged another ethics investigation following reports that Comer was negotiating a book deal while leading the impeachment proceedings, an action potentially at odds with House rules unless approved by the House Standards Committee.
In response, Comer’s office dismissed the call for an investigation as a “cheap stunt,” asserting that it will not hinder his efforts to hold the Biden administration accountable. They described the Congressional Integrity Project as a “dark money, left-wing funded group” that aims to discredit Republicans challenging the administration and then profits from the controversies it generates.
Copyright 2024, TruthAndLiberty.com
