Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member Regarding Representative Jean Schmidt

Members involved

• Jean Schmidt (R-OH)

Statement

On May 18, 2011, the Committee received a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) regarding Representative Jean Schmidt. The Committee, pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a), conducted a further review of the matter as recommended by OCE. Following the conclusion of the Committee’s further review, the Committee unanimously voted on August 1, 2011, to release a public Report finding that Representative Schmidt did not knowingly violate any provision of the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other standard of conduct with respect to the receipt of gifts. Since the spring of 2009, Representative Schmidt has been involved in litigation regarding statements made about her by an opponent in her 2008 re-election campaign. That dispute has involved proceedings before an Ohio state agency, in Ohio state court, and in federal court. According to the OCE referral, Representative Schmidt received an impermissible gift from the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) when lawyers provided legal services to Representative Schmidt in at least three related matters and then sent bills for their fees to the TCA, which paid those bills on an ongoing basis.

Documents

• Statement on ethics.house.gov
• Document 1 (PDF)

More

• All House ethics statements