Nine investigations for OCE in last three months, report finds

The Office of Congressional Ethics launched nine preliminary investigations in the last three months into allegations that lawmakers violated House ethics rules, according to numbers released by the group Thursday.

The nonpartisan board has referred only one of the nine cases that it looked into from April through June to the House Ethics Committee for further review — that involving Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) — while it recommended that the secretive panel dismiss four other cases against members.

About 50 private citizens contacted the OCE in this three-month period to either make an allegation against a member of Congress or inquire about the OCE's procedures.

The OCE has referred a total of nine cases to the House Ethics Committee for further review so far in the 112th Congress.

The ethics panel has launched formal investigative subcommittees into one of these cases — Rep. Shelly Berkley (D-Nev.) — while it is conducting “fact gathering” investigations on four others, and has resolved or dismissed four of the cases. 

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