Congressional ethics investigators said Monday they found 'substantial reason to believe' that Colorado Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn 'misued official resources' and improperly solicited gifts from his staff in what could be a violation of House rules.
In a 19-page report, the Office of Congressional Ethics detailed how Lamborn's congressional staff helped his son through the federal job application process, threw a party for his daughter-in-law after she became a naturalized citizen and described the 'substantial' role Jeanie Lamborn, the congressman's wife, played in the office.
A former Lamborn staffer explained that the chief of staff Dale Anderson made it clear to them that 'Mrs. Lamborn had precedence.'
'If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy,' Jeanie Lamborn allegedly said to the unnamed staffer, the report claims.
Lamborn is accused of using his congressional staff, who are paid with tax-payer dollars, to run personal errands and work on campaign events. If that is the case, then both are a violation of House rules.
Investigators also looked into allegations the congressman soliciated birthday presents for himself and his wife, which is not only a violation of House rules but of federal law.
The Office of Congressional Ethics conducted interviews with three current and two former Lamborn staffers as well as interviews with the lawmaker himself.
Lamborn's office denied the allegations. The matter has been referred to the House Ethics Committee for further review. Only that panel has the power to punish a lawmaker for wrongdoings in the House.
'These false and unfounded allegations have no merit. It is extremely disappointing that two disgruntled former staffers have weaponized the ethics process for political and personal purposes,' Lamborn's spokeswoman, Cassandra Sebastian, said in a statement.
Congressional ethics investigators they found 'substantial reason to believe' that Rep. Doug Lamborn, Republican of Colorado, 'misued official resources'
Investigators say Lamborn's wife, Jeanie, played a 'substantial' role in the office, including in hiring and firing staff
Rep. Doug Lamborn, Jeanie Lamborn and their family
The investigation found that staff said they were instructed by the Lamborns and Dale Anderson to throw a naturalization party for Lamborn's daughter-in-law when she became a naturalized citizen in 2020. It was held in his Colorado district office.
Lamborn denied he asked staff to plan and hold the party.
Staff also allege that, when one of Lamborn's four sons moved from New York to Washington D.C. in 2020, they were asked to help him in his federal job search.
Lamborn also allegedly allowed his son to live out of a storage room in the basement of the U.S. Capitol for a period of weeks. That detail was revealed when Brandon Pope, a former staffer for Lamborn, filed a lawsuit against the congressman last year alleging Lamborn ignored COVID safety precautions - including mask wearing and social distancing - and created unsafe working conditions in his offices. Pope claimed he was fired for trying to implement COVID-related safety policies.
In the ethics investigation report, Lamborn stated that his son, who was a veteran, 'was pursuing a job with the Pentagon and ultimately got that job.' He argued his staff didn't do anything more for his son than they would do
