Tag: corruption

House Ethics Committee Establishes Investigative Subcommittee Into Rep. Tony Gonzales Over Allegations Involving Staffer Who Later Died

The committee said Tuesday it “voted to establish an Investigative Subcommittee” to determine “whether Representative Tony Gonzales violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other applicable standard of conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities.”

According to the announcement, the inquiry will examine allegations that Gonzales may have “engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual employed in his congressional office; and/or discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges.”

The committee also emphasized that the step does not represent a finding of wrongdoing. “The Committee notes that the mere fact of establishing an Investigative Subcommittee does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred,” the statement explained.

The announcement comes after a prior probe by the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC), the independent congressional ethics watchdog. Punchbowl News previously reported the OCC had been examining allegations of an extramarital relationship between Gonzales and a staff member, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, who worked in his office from 2021 until her death. Under House rules, members are prohibited from engaging in a “sexual relationship” with an employee under their supervision. 

Santos-Aviles, 35, died in September 2025 after pouring gasoline on herself and setting herself on fire at her home in Uvalde, Texas. She left behind an eight-year-old son and a husband, from whom she had been separated for several months. Family members maintained she did not intentionally start the fire. Surveillance footage obtained by investigators showed she was alone when the blaze began, and the Uvalde Police Department stated it did not suspect anyone else was involved or that foul play had occurred.

Reports about the alleged relationship emerged after her death. Gonzales has previously denied having an affair with Santos-Aviles.

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Proposed Bill On Automated License Plate Readers Would Safeguard Data For Illegals, Gender-Affirming Care, Abortions

Today the Judiciary Committee introduced a bill to regulate the use of automated license plate reader systems and safeguard data derived from such systems.

H.B. No. 5449, An Act Concerning Automated License Plate Reader Systems, would dictate how public agencies and law enforcement could operate automated license plate reader systems or use the data from such systems.

Data collected by these systems cannot be retained for more than seven days unless there’s a warrant or a court order, or if the data is for the purpose of collecting highway usage fees.

The bill describes a number of restrictions for usage of data collected by automated license plate reader systems.

No public agency or law enforcement agency operating a system may use the data for:

  • Monitoring or investigating an individual based on an individual’s actual or perceived race, ethnicity, criminal history, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, sex, pregnancy status, disability, citizenship, nationality or income level;
  • Identifying individuals engaged in activities protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution;
  • Investigating a suspected immigration violation or otherwise assisting in any civil or criminal immigration enforcement activity;
  • Investigating or prosecuting any individual who has sought, received, or provided reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services;
  • Collecting data on the premises of or nearby a reproductive or sexual health facility, facilities that provide gender-affirming care services or a nonprofit or community organization that primarily serves immigrants (which presumably includes illegals), excluding any property under federal jurisdiction;
  • Sharing with other individuals or entities, except under certain circumstances;
  • Participating in any multistate, intrastate, or national data-sharing system or network, except under certain conditions; or
  • Permitting a public agency to have real-time, bulk or automatic access, except in specific cases.

The bill also says automated license plate reader data “shall not be disclosable under the Freedom of Information Act pursuant to chapter 14 of the general statutes” though it will disclose locations of any still or video image recording device used as part of an automated license plate reader system and other data derived from audits of the system, usage logs, etc., so long as all automated license plate reader data has been redacted.

There would also be limits on contracts or agreements with private vendors that might interact with automated license plate reader systems and data to restrict them from selling, sharing, transferring, disseminating or otherwise providing access to the data, except as authorized in the bill.

Agencies could be sued for failing to follow HB 5449.

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Pam Bondi Subpoenaed In Epstein Investigation By House Oversight Panel

House investigators are hauling in Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer for what lawmakers say is a troubling disappearance of documents tied to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The House Oversight Committee voted 24-19 on Wednesday to subpoena Bondi for a deposition, escalating a fight with the Department of Justice over its handling of records from the sprawling Epstein investigation. Lawmakers say the DOJ may have pulled tens of thousands of pages from public view despite a federal law requiring the material to be released.

The move was spearheaded by Rep. Nancy Mace, who blasted the Justice Department earlier in the day and accused officials of misleading the public about what has actually been disclosed. [Though we would point out that Mace herself vowed to reveal her tits, only to redact them with grainy footage.]

“AG Bondi claims the DOJ has released all of the Epstein files. The record is clear: they have not,” Mace wrote on X, calling the saga “one of the greatest cover-ups in American history.”

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House kills effort to release all congressional sexual misconduct and harassment reports

The House on Wednesday voted to scuttle an effort by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace to shed more light on sexual misconduct allegations against members of Congress.

Mace, a conservative Republican who is running to be governor of South Carolina, forced a floor vote on her resolution directing the House Ethics Committee to make public all reports on allegations of congressional lawmakers and aides engaging in sexual misconduct or harassment.

But in a 357-65 vote, the House voted to refer the Mace resolution to committee — a move that effectively killed it.

The Ethics Committee had encouraged members to vote to refer the resolution. In a joint statement, the Republican and Democratic leaders of the committee argued it “could chill victim cooperation and witness participation in ongoing and future investigations” and would make it harder for the committee “to investigate and eliminate sexual misconduct in the House.”

“Here and elsewhere, perpetrators of sexual misconduct should never be shielded from responsibility for their misdeeds,” Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., and ranking member Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., said.

But, they added, “victims may be retraumatized by public disclosures of interim work product, excerpts of interview transcripts, and certain exhibits. And witnesses, who often only speak to the Committee confidentially or on condition of future anonymity, could fear retaliation if their cooperation is made public.”

Mace has spoken openly about her own experiences as a sexual assault survivor, and she’s been at the center of the fight over releasing the government’s Jeffrey Epstein files. She was one of just four House Republicans who teamed with Democrats on a discharge petition last fall that circumvented her own GOP leadership and eventually led to the Justice Department’s release of the Epstein files.

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Trump administration drops effort against law firms after judges find president’s orders unconstitutional

The Justice Department on Monday dropped the fight over President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting firms he disliked, conceding to unanimous rulings from federal judges that found the orders violated the fundamental tenets of the Constitution.

The targeted firms included Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey and Jenner & Block. They had fought back against executive orders by Trump that took aim at their security clearances, government contracts and access to government buildings due to their clientele and hiring.

Perkins Coie has represented high-profile Democrats, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; WilmerHale employed former special counsel Robert Mueller after he investigated Trump; and Jenner & Block hired Andrew Weissmann, who was a part of Mueller’s team.

The firms, which stood up to the administration at a time when many other major law firms caved, welcomed the administration’s capitulation.

“As we said from the outset, our challenge to the unlawful Executive Order was about defending our clients’ constitutional right to retain the counsel of their choosing and defending the rule of law. We are pleased these foundational principles were vindicated,” a WilmerHale spokesperson said in a statement Monday.

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HHS finds Minnesota child care agency failed to verify attendance records and ‘pursue fraud tips’

The US Department of Health and Human Services found Minnesota’s child care agency failed to adequately verify attendance records or “pursue fraud tips” following an oversight visit in late January, according to a letter obtained by The Post.

HHS’ Administration for Children and Families informed Minnesota officials that its handling of the distribution of federal taxpayer dollars for child care in the state had “not established adequate controls to verify the accuracy of county-issued provider payments based on attendance of children.”

As a result, child care centers could get funding from counties — and counties could then bill the state and the federal government by extension — “without reconciling billed hours against attendance records, even periodically.”

Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth and Families also had “[l]imited staff and resources … to adequately pursue fraud tips and conduct proactive investigations,” Laurie Todd-Smith, HHS ACF deputy assistant secretary for early childhood development, wrote in the letter.

Just four investigators are working for Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program to address all potential fraud.

Additionally, Todd-Smith said, “Minnesota did not demonstrate that they are currently implementing required program integrity training for providers across the state,” meaning all child care center operators have to do is affirm they’ve read requirements to receive funding.

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Oregon moves to penalize landlords who reveal tenants’ immigration status

Oregon lawmakers have approved a bill that would allow tenants to collect up to twice their monthly rent in court if landlords disclose their immigration status, the latest move by the state to expand protections for illegal aliens.

According to The Oregonian, House Bill 4123 passed the Oregon Senate Monday in a 24–3 vote and now heads to Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek’s desk. If signed into law, the measure would impose financial penalties on landlords who “knowingly” release confidential tenant information, including details about immigration or citizenship status, Social Security numbers, and medical or disability records. Under the proposal, tenants whose protected information is disclosed could sue to recover damages equal to two months’ rent.

The legislation builds on a 2025 Oregon law that already prohibits landlords from discriminating against tenants based on immigration status. That law also bars landlords from sharing or threatening to share a tenant’s citizenship information in order to harass, retaliate, or intimidate them. However, it did not include a set financial penalty for violations, instead leaving tenants to pursue legal remedies through the courts.

State Sen. Dick Anderson, R–Lincoln City and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Housing and Development, called the measure a “simple, common-sense” step to protect privacy. “This is a balanced approach that protects tenant privacy without burdening housing providers,” Anderson said during floor debate.

Landlord groups also signaled support after amendments clarified what information can still be shared. The bill allows landlords to provide routine contact details, such as phone numbers or email addresses, for maintenance and utility coordination. It also permits disclosure of information when required by court order, during affordable housing compliance audits, or when conducting background and credit checks.

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Nancy Mace lashes out as $1.9 million Capitol Hill home scandal implodes

Congresswoman Nancy Mace is under investigation for allegedly overcharging a taxpayer-funded program meant to provide out-of-town lawmakers for housing, meals, and travel expenses.

The House Ethics Committee is looking into whether Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, ‘engaged in improper reimbursement practices’ for her former $1.98 million Capitol Hill home she shared with her ex-fiancé.

Mace and Patrick Bryant, who broke off their 18-month engagement in 2023, were co-owners of a DC townhouse until 2024. That DC property is at the center of the new probe. 

Members of Congress are allowed to be reimbursed for housing expenses if they maintain a residence in their home district and Washington, DC.

But the program, launched in 2023, has drawn scrutiny because the reimbursement process does not require a detailed expenditures list for lawmakers to get their money back.

A new report by the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC), a nonpartisan group that investigates misconduct on Capitol Hill, claims that Mace was overpaid $9,500 for her housing costs.

‘Information available to and reviewed by the OCC suggests that Rep. Mace was reimbursed more than the true costs for the property during several months in 2023 and 2024,’ the OCC report alleges. 

Mace did not speak with the OCC during their investigation, the report says. 

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Virginia Democrats Are Now Trying to TRIPLE Their Own Pay – After Abigail Spanberger Ran on Affordability

Virginia’s new governor, Abigail Spanberger, ran on a campaign focused on affordability, so did other Virginia Democrats.

It is now becoming increasingly apparent that this was a lie.

These people have been in office for just a matter of weeks and they are already trying to triple their own pay. Things will certainly be more affordable for them if they get away with this.

FOX News reports:

Virginia Democrats talk affordability — and vote to nearly triple their own pay

The Virginia State Senate and its Democratic majority may have voted to nearly triple their pay if a provision inserted into their final budget survives the House reconciliation process and reaches Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk.

The development comes as Spanberger has centered her campaign on “affordability,” with Richmond Democrats echoing that they are working to improve their constituents’ personal finances.

Virginia’s legislature itself was founded as a part-time, gentleman’s chamber, where lawmakers would return to their day jobs when Richmond wasn’t holding session.

Proponents of raising the current 1988-established salary of $18,000 for senators and $17,640 for delegates say the structure restricts who can afford to serve as a lawmaker today. Lawmakers also qualify for a $237 per diem, mileage reimbursements, and coverage of office, meeting and other expenses.

Senators’ new salary would be $50,000.

Republicans were quick to criticize the final budget, with the Virginia Senate Minority Caucus saying in a statement that “teachers got a 3% raise, but Democrats give themselves 300%.” The actual increase would be closer to 178%, though one could say the new salary would be 300% of the original.

Law professor Jonathan Turley points out that these Democrats are going to need a salary increase in order to afford all of the new taxes they are proposing.

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Fury as Marco Rubio admits Israel forced US into war with Iran: ‘The worst possible thing’

The US launched preemptive strikes against Iran after learning Israel was about to attack — and American troops in the region faced an imminent threat of retaliation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday. 

Rubio made the revelation on Capitol Hill, where he briefed a small group of congressional leaders on the joint US-Israel offensive.

‘There absolutely was an imminent threat,’ Rubio stated. ‘And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded.’

Rubio said the Department of War determined that a defensive posture following an Israeli attack would only open the US to more casualties. Five American soldiers have died so far in combat. 

‘We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage,’ he said. 

‘Had we not done so, there would have been hearings on Capitol Hill about how we knew that this was going to happen, and we didn’t act preemptively to prevent more casualties and more loss of life,’ Rubio explained. 

The revelation outraged both Democrats and Republicans.

‘Secretary Rubio’s remarks indicate that Israel put U.S. forces in harm’s way by insisting on attacking Iran,’ Congressman Joaquin Castro reacted on X. ‘And the administration was complicit—joining their war instead of talking them down.’

Conservative pundit Matt Walsh wrote: ‘So he’s flat out telling us that we’re in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said.’

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