The House Committee on Ethics tossed a “patently baseless claim” lodged against Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) by Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who alleged that the Arizona Republican violated ethics rules on January 6 by objecting to the seating of electors.
“As you know, on March 10, 2021, the Committee on Ethics (Committee) received information offered as a complaint naming you as a respondent,” the committee’s June 11 letter to Gosar read, informing the congressman of its decision to dismiss the complaint:
Pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 3(k)(2) and Committee Rule 16(d), the Committee voted on a motion to establish an investigative subcommittee and forward the complaint to that subcommittee for its consideration. In accord with Committee Rule 26(k), we hereby notify you that the motion failed, and an investigative subcommittee was not established. Because Committee Rule 16 provides for no specific further action, the Committee will not further review the
“This patently baseless claim attempted to conflate political disagreements with ethics. The House Committee on Ethics should not be politicized for partisan purposes,” Gosar said in response to the committee’s letter.
At the time, Gosar provided a detailed response to Jayapal, who notably objected to the seating of electors in 2017 against former President Trump, describing her complaint as “frivolous, ill-conceived, and defamatory.”
“I at all times conducted myself within the acceptable norms of Congress. The assertion that I planned, created, assisted, or otherwise participated in the riot on January 6 is a malicious and knowing falsehood,” he wrote in the April 16 response.
“The Complaint should be dismissed, and sanctions imposed for filing a frivolous and bad faith complaint,” the Arizona Republican added.
Jayapal’s complaint followed the Democrats’ second and failed impeachment trial against former President Trump, accusing him of inciting an insurrection on January 6 as Congress gathered to certify the Electoral College votes.
Seven Senate Republicans voted to convict Trump, including Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Ben Sasse (R-NE).