The Ethics Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives issued a statement last week related to its investigation into allegations against Congressman David Schweikert and his staff.

It was reported earlier this year that the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) was referring a complaint against Schweikert to its Investigative Subcommittee (ISC) for further review.

By law if the ISC has not completed its review of the case within one year of its referral it must make public the OCE report. That one year deadline was April 16.

The report includes information that was mostly available early this year. The investigation centered on Schweikert’s chief of staff Oliver Schwab. It is alleged that Schwab may have used or authorized expenditures from Schweikert’s Members’ Representational Allowance for improper uses; whether Schweikert’s campaign committee may have received improper campaign contributions from Schwab and other individuals employed in his congressional office; whether Schwab received compensation in excess of an income limit for senior staff and whether Schwab failed to file complete disclosure statements as required by House rules.

In September 2018 the Office of Congressional Ethic referred additional information to the ISC for investigation.

The initial investigation is based on a complaint filed a year ago by a Democratic activist from Scottsdale.

It is alleged that Schweikert may have used official resources to benefit his campaign or pressuring staff to perform political activity; Schweikert may have authorized compensation to an employee who did not perform duties commensurate with his House employment; Schweikert or his campaign committee may have received loans or gifts from a congressional employee; and Schweikert may have omitted required information from his annual House financial disclosure statements and Federal Election Commission Candidate committee reports.

The statement from the committee notes that “the mere fact of an investigation into these allegations does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.”

The committee makes no public comment except in accordance with committee rules.

Schweikert, in earlier public statements attributed the irregularities to poor bookkeeping on the part of a staff vendor who was replaced.

Schwab has also left Schweikert’s staff.

Schweikert is a Fountain Hills resident who is in his fifth term representing Arizona Congressional District 6.