Press Releases
Washington, DC – Committee on House Administration Republicans, Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Congressman Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Congressman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), wrote Chairperson Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) regarding her office's potential violation of the Members' Congressional Handbook and regulations under the Communications Standards Commission, which this committee oversees. Last week, Lofgren's personal office released a nearly 2,000-page report alleging 147 members of Congress who posted on social media regarding their vote to object to the electoral college results made them complicit in the attack against the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.
The report and the letter were referenced by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) at yesterday's hearing on "Congress's Ability to Uphold Standards of Member Conduct."
The Republican members also note the committee's failure to hold any hearings on the security of the Capitol despite having primary jurisdiction over the U.S. Capitol Police, House Sergeant at Arms, Architect of the Capitol, and the Chief Administrative Officer.
A key excerpt from the members' letter reads:
We are also concerned by recent actions of your personal office. While the Committee has taken no action since January 6th, your personal office has managed to review the social media of 147 Republicans and released a nearly 2,000-page "report" insinuating that our colleagues, who we serve and work with every day, were somehow complicit in an attack against our Capitol. These are the same colleagues we were with on the House floor on January 6th as rioters entered the Capitol and then tried to break through the doors of the House Chamber.
This "report" and its conclusions are not only wrong, they are offensive to your colleagues. It is also a questionable use of your Members' Representational Allowance (MRA). As the Chairperson of the Committee which is responsible for overseeing the rules governing the use of the MRA, you more than anyone should know that the handbook is clear when it states "the MRA may only be used for official and representational expenses." Using your personal office resources to investigate other Members of Congress cannot be considered to be related to your representational duties to your district.
This "report" also contains concerning language and content that is inconsistent with the Communication Standards Commission regulations regarding the rules on Decorum and Civility. Additionally, there is a long-standing prohibition on official websites directly linking or referring to websites created or operated by a campaign or any campaign-related entity. This "report", posted on your official personal office website, directly links to the campaign accounts of 75 candidates.
CLICK HERE to read the full letter.