CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A congressional watchdog has determined that Rep. Alex Mooney likely broke House rules when the West Virginia Republican accepted a trip to Aruba allegedly paid for by a campaign client and family friend.
The latest allegations were included in a statement released Monday by the House Ethics Committee, which said it was extending the review of an Office of Congressional Ethics report sent to the committee in December.
The House Ethics Committee includes five Democrats and five Republicans and is chaired by Florida Democrat Ted Deutch. The panel has several ways of potentially punishing lawmakers for wrongdoing, including fines and reprimands.
Mooney, who was backed by former President Donald Trump and has represented the state in the House since 2015, will face Democrat Barry Wendell, an openly gay former Morgantown city council member, in November’s general election. Mooney easily defeated incumbent Rep. David McKinley in the May 10 GOP primary.