LANSING — Today, a constituent of the 10th Congressional District filed an ethics complaint with the U.S. House of Representatives’ Ethics Committee over Rep. John James blatantly using taxpayer-funded federal government resources to promote his campaign for governor, which appears to be illegal and a potential ethics violation.
MIRS reported that James used his congressional office to host a “Backpack Giveaway Event” in Utica, MI on Wednesday, August 20 and invited media to attend “from a Congressional email with a ‘Congress of the United States’ seal posted on the top. However, at the venue, the backpacks were surrounded by John James for Governor posters.”
The House Ethics Committee’s manual is clear: “Official resources of the House must, as a general rule, be used for the performance of official business of the House, and hence those resources may not be used for campaign or political purposes.” Misuse of federal resources for campaign purposes is also illegal: 31 U.S. Code § 1301 provides that “Appropriations shall be applied only to the objects for which the appropriations were made except as otherwise provided by law.”
In response to James’ appeared ethics violation, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel released the following statement:
“John James is misusing taxpayer-funded resources through his congressional office to promote his campaign for governor, which is illegal and a violation of House ethics rules. James appears to have broken the law — and is focused on promoting himself rather than helping working Michiganders. We urge the House Ethics Committee to thoroughly investigate this incident, and if found to be an ethics violation, hold James accountable for this illegal and unethical conduct.”
Read the ethics complaint here.
Background on James’ Ethics Violation:
- On Wednesday, August 20, James and his congressional office hosted an official “Backpack Giveaway Event” at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica, MI. The event was hosted and advised by James’ congressional office with the official congressional seal of the United States Congress.
- Reporting from MIRS confirmed that the event was hosted by James’ office: “James’ official Congressional office provided free backpacks to young students at the Jimmy John’s Field ballpark in Utica as the local Eastside Diamond Hoppers played against the Utica-based Westside Woolly Mammoths.”
- MIRS also reported that “media were invited for on-site interviews from a Congressional email with a ‘Congress of the United States’ seal posted on the top. However, at the venue, the backpacks were surrounded by John James for Governor posters.”
- Photos and video from the event show John James for Governor signage:
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