Oregon Representative's Campaign Website Violates House Ethics Rules
Washington, D.C.— February 25, 2020— The non-partisan ethics watchdog, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), today, filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) against Congressman Kurt Schrader of Oregon for ethics violations related to his campaign website.
According to FACT's complaint, Congressman Schrader's campaign website includes several links to his official House website. House ethics rules do not allow Members of Congress to use taxpayer funded resources for political purposes, including websites and social media accounts. In fact, the House Ethics Manual clearly states that "Member campaign websites . . . may not include a link to the Member's House website."
"Congressman Schrader has violated a basic and straightforward ethics rule," said Kendra Arnold, Executive Director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT). "While this rule is straightforward, it has an important purpose – not only does it protect taxpayer funds, but it protects against the common perception that a member of Congress’ first priority is running for reelection. The OCE must ensure these violations are remedied and that Congressman Schrader is in compliance with federal laws and House ethical standards."
A full copy of the complaint can be found by clicking here.
FACT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas. For more on FACT, visit: www.factdc.org
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