Colorado Rep. Stands Accused Of Abusing His Power And His Staff

The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) said Monday that it had “substantial reason” to suggest that Republican Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn misused official resources and solicited and accepted inappropriate gifts from his subordinates.

Investigators said that Lamborn’s staff was expected to do personal errands for him and his family during work hours. His aides even said that they were required to help Lamborn’s son get a job in government.

Other staffers said they were frequently required to run errands and cater to Lamborn’s wife, Jeanie. “If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy,” she said, according to anonymous staffers.

Following the detailed investigation, the OCE officially recommended that the House Ethics Committee look further into the allegations against Lamborn.

“The Committee notes that the mere fact of conducting further review of a referral, and any mandatory disclosure of such further review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee,” Reps. Ted Deutch of Florida and Jackie Walorski of Indiana, the chair and ranking member of the committee, said in a joint statement.

While the committee can report “substantial evidence of a violation of any law,” it’s primarily an advisory role. However, it can also move the case before the whole House, which could vote to impose a fine, censure, or more severe penalties.

The OCE report follows a federal lawsuit that Brandon Pope, a former Lamborn staffer, filed last spring. Pope alleged that Lamborn blatantly disregarded COVID-19 precautions and created a physically unsafe environment for his staff.

The suit also alleged that Lamborn allowed his son to live in the Capitol basement.

Cassandra Sebastian, Lamborn’s communications director, said that the investigation was “overzealous” and that his own office was “biased” against him.

“It is extremely disappointing that two disgruntled former staffers have weaponized the ethics process for political and personal purposes,” Sebastian said. “Congressman Lamborn intends to cooperate fully with the bipartisan House Committee on Ethics, just as he did with all reasonable requests of the OCE. He remains certain the committee will ultimately reach the appropriate decision by dismissing the OCE’s referral and he expects to be fully exonerated.”

Lamborn has been in office since 2007, representing Colorado’s 5th congressional district, and intends to run for reelection in November.