House Ethics Committee Reviewing Potential Campaign Finance Violations by Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib

The House Ethics Committee is reviewing potential campaign finance violations by radical Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI). 

The Free Beacon first reported back in March that Rashida Tlaib paid herself $45,500 from her campaign funds — $17,550 which was paid to Tlaib AFTER the 2018 election.

Tlaib, who is known for her anti-Israel stance and foul mouth, was elected to the House of Representatives in November of 2018 and continued to pay herself from her campaign funds in November and December after election day.

 

“If the candidate wins the primary election, his or her principal campaign committee may pay him or her a salary from campaign funds through the date of the general election, up to and including the date of any general election runoff,” FEC provisions state. “If the candidate loses the primary, withdraws from the race, or otherwise ceases to be a candidate, no salary payments may be paid beyond the date he or she is no longer a candidate.”

An FEC spokesperson said that a candidate can pay themselves after the general election only for activity that occurred up to the day of the election, the Free Beacon reported in March.

Now the Ethics Committee is reviewing these campaign fund payments to Tlaib.

Politico reported:

The Office of Congressional Ethics has recommended an investigation into claims that Tlaib reimbursed herself from her campaign fund after the 2018 election, when she was no longer a candidate. Tlaib’s office denied any misuse of funds, stating that the Michigan freshman “fully complied with the law and acted in good faith at all times.”

While candidates are allowed to pay themselves a salary during the campaign, Tlaib reported a salary of $17,500 in two payments after the Nov. 6 election, according to her disclosure. The payments were dated Nov. 16 and Dec. 1.

The Federal Election Commission states that salary payments may continue “until the date of the general election.”

As expected, Rashida Tlaib pushed back on claims she misused campaign funds.

“Representative Tlaib has cooperated completely with the Committee to resolve the referral, which involves the same claims over her publicly disclosed salary during the campaign that conservative groups pressed back in March,” Tlaib spokesperson Denzel McCampbell wrote in a statement to Politico.

The Ethics Committee has 45 days to announce whether the review has turned into a full investigation or to extend its review of Tlaib.