The House Ethics Committee announced Friday that it is investigating Texas Republican Rep. Troy Neals for allegedly misappropriating $25,000 in campaign funds before and during his first term in office.
Ethics Commissioner Michael Guest (R-Mississippi) and Ranking Member Susan Wild (D-Pennsylvania) announced that the investigation into Nehls, which began on March 26, has been extended. However, the progress was not made public.
“The Commission recognizes that the mere fact that it conducts further review of a referral, and the mandatory disclosure of such further review, is not in itself an indication that any violation has occurred, but rather that it does not warrant any determination on behalf of the Commission. Please note that this is not intended to be reflective,” Guest and Wilde said. In a statement.
The committee also released an Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) report in December summarizing the allegations.
Nehls, three congressional staffers and two campaign aides reportedly refused to cooperate with OCE’s investigation. 14 page report.
“The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) was created under Nancy Pelosi, which is why I declined to cooperate with the Office,” Niels said in a statement. “My books remain private and I am cooperating with the legitimate House Ethics Committee.”
Nehls, a close ally of Donald Trump, raised eyebrows when he nominated him to chair the Republican conference in October’s House speaker election.
During President Biden’s State of the Union address in March, the 56-year-old wore a bold red, white and blue bow tie over a white T-shirt with a photo of President Trump and the words “Never Surrender” printed on it. Was.
The congressman’s campaign committee has never paid rent for its designated location, Freedom Hall in the Houston suburb of Richmond, Texas, which has since been repurposed as an Islamic center and boarding school. schools,” the report states.
Instead, Nehls paid more than $25,319 in rent from 2019 to 2022 to Liberty 1776, a privately owned Republican company, according to Texas Public Accounts records.
The company is registered at the Texas representative’s home address in the town, and its license was suspended in 2022 for franchise tax evasion.
Mr. Nehls did not disclose his ownership of Liberty 1776 in his 2021 or 2022 annual financial disclosures.
In February of this year, Nehls submitted an amendment after OCE completed its investigation. for his disclosure of both of That year He identified himself as the company’s sole proprietor, but said he received no salary or compensation.
One record uncovered by the Ethics Office showed the company paid $159 in personal property taxes at the Freedom Hall location in 2022.
Neals’ campaign also paid $12,652.62 to other limited liability companies named Patriot Media and Pogie USA, but the report does not establish ownership relationships.
“The Board is pleased to announce that Congressman Nehls will not cooperate with OCE’s review, especially given the fact that all of the individuals who have refused to cooperate are represented by his attorney or an organization or individual closely associated with him.” ”, the report concludes.
“By choosing to bypass OCE’s role as an independent body charged with reviewing allegations of wrongdoing, Rep. Nehls undermined the transparency and integrity of the investigation,” the report said. .
Neals is running for a third term representing Texas’ 22nd Congressional District in November after serving as Fort Bend County Sheriff from 2013 to 2021.
