Texas Republican Under House Ethics Investigation; Congressman Responds

 Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) is the target of a newly revealed investigation run by the House Ethics Committee.

The panel said on Tuesday that Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) and ranking member Susan Wild (D-PA) “jointly decided to extend the matter” regarding Nehls after it was transmitted to the committee by the Office of Congressional Ethics on December 11.

A reason for the inquiry was not given, but Nehls released a statement that said the investigation was focused on campaign finance.

“I look forward to assisting the House Committee on Ethics inquiry into my campaign’s finances,” he said. “My campaign has complied with every Federal Election Commission (FEC) law, and my books are open.”

The House Ethics Committee said “that the mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee.”

It added that the panel will announce “its course of action in this matter” on or before Friday, May 10, 2024.

Nehls is a former sheriff who represents the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, which includes parts of Fort Bend, Brazoria, Harris, Wharton, and Matagorda counties.

Voters first elected Nehls to office in the 2020 election. In 2022, he accused the Capitol Police of “illegally” snooping through his office, a claim that was rejected by the force’s chief Thomas Manger.

 

Nehls made waves last year when he announced that he would be nominating former President Donald Trump for Speaker of the House after Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was booted from the role.

“President Trump, the greatest president of my lifetime, has a proven record of putting America first and will make the House great again,” Nehls said.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) has since become speaker and Trump is in the middle of running another campaign for the presidency.

Nehls wore one of Trump’s “never surrender” shirts during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address this month.

Nehls ran uncontested and won the GOP primary this month to represent his Texas district for another two years. Marquette Greene-Scott won the Democratic Party’s nomination.

Other activity by the House Ethics Committee in recent months includes an investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), leading the congressman to accuse the panel of “trying to weaponize their process against me.”

Lawmakers voted to expel Rep. George Santos (R-NY) in early December following a scathing ethics report.