New House Ethics Committee Panel Says Campaign Rules Might Need Reboot

House Ethics Committee members announced Thursday that they have formed a new subpanel to reevaluate and refine guidelines on campaign activities.

Republican Texas Rep. Nathaniel Moran and Democratic Texas Rep. Sylvia Garcia will co-lead the panel, according to Politico. They said their task is to assess the current rules governing campaign conduct among House members, officers and staff, with a focus on enhancing, clarifying, and modernizing the existing framework.

The reasons for the new group remain unclear. The move to create it, however, comes amidst growing concerns that some lawmakers allegedly broke campaign-related rules, including instances where campaign donations were allegedly tied to official actions.

WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 18: The House of Representatives Committee on Ethics office in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on December 18, 2024 in Washington, DC (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In December 2024, the Ethics Committee closed several investigations into lawmakers accused of misusing campaign funds in ways that could not be substantiated. At that time, committee members said clearer guidance was needed. They described the Federal Election Commission’s regulations as ambiguous.

The House Ethics Committee‘s recent formation of a subpanel to review campaign activity rules comes amid ongoing allegations against Democratic Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is facing an investigation. She allegedly misused $5 million in Congressional funds. The Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC) is probing the funds, which were allegedly redirected to a for-profit entity instead of the intended Figgers Foundation, a Florida telemedicine nonprofit. (RELATED: House Ethics Committee Launches Probe Into Dem Rep)

Cherfilus-McCormick has previously been the subject of a special investigative subcommittee probe. In December 2023, the OCC referred allegations that she violated campaign finance rules during her 2022 special election. These allegations will be included in the current investigation.

The House Ethics Committee did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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