Statement of Chairman Joel Hefley and Ranking Minority Member Alan B. Mollohan

Members involved

• Jim McDermott (D-WA)

Statement

On November 16, 2004 Representative David L. Hobson filed a complaint alleging that Representative Jim McDermott violated certain laws, rules and standards of conduct in disclosing to the news media the contents of an intercepted telephone conversation in January 1997. That conversation related to committee proceedings regarding then-Representative Newt Gingrich. Until mid-January 1997, Representative McDermott served as Ranking Minority Member of the House Select Committee on Ethics, which had been created at the beginning of the 105th Congress for sole purpose of completing action on a previously initiated case regarding Representative Gingrich. On November 18, 2004, we made the procedural determination under Committee Rule 16(a) that the complaint filed by Representative Hobson meets the requirements of the Committee’s rules for what constitutes a complaint, and further proceedings regarding the complaint have taken place under Committee Rules 16 and 17. We have jointly determined, under Connnittee Rule 16(b)(2), to establish an investigative subcommittee and to forward portions of the complaint to that subcommittee.

Documents

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

More

• All House ethics statements