After Delivering the GOP’s SOTU Rebuttal Cathy McMorris Rodgers Faces Ethics Investigation

In typical Republican fashion the woman that they chose to deliver their official State Of The Union rebuttal, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, is under ethics investigation for campaign finance violations.

According to Politico:

GOP Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers faces a possible House Ethics Committee investigation over allegations by a former staffer that she improperly mixed campaign and official funds to help win a 2012 House leadership race.

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The Office of Congressional Ethics has recommended that the Ethics Committee conduct a full probe into the case. The Ethics Committee announced on Thursday that it will continuing reviewing the allegations until March 23. At that point, ethics will have to appoint a special investigative subcommittee to conduct a full-scale probe, or drop the case and publicly release OCE’s report. OCE originally forwarded its recommendation to the Ethics Committee shortly before the Christmas holiday.

Republicans thought they were making a safe choice when they chose McMorris Rodgers to deliver their SOTU rebuttal. Her remarks themselves were full of God, family, and lots of flag waving. I am sure they played well to the Reagan worshipping crowd in the Republican Party, but many Americans were left shaking their heads, and asking what the heck was that?

It turns out that, surprise, McMorris Rodgers isn’t as wholesome apple pie as she claimed to be. Improperly mixing campaign and official funds isn’t the biggest crime that can be committed. She is no one woman crime wave like Michele Bachmann, but it is always a problem when party leaders face ethics investigations. It’s an even bigger black eye when that leader recently appeared all across national television selling the values of the Republican Party.

The lack of ethics and real values of many Republicans who are currently serving in the House are never far below the surface. Rep. McMorris Rodgers has denied the allegations, and the truth will emerge during the investigation.

Either way, this is yet another embarrassment for a Republican Party that manages to find new ways to humiliate themselves on a daily basis.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association