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The Ethics Committee issued a four-paragraph statement on Monday saying that it was establishing an investigative subcommittee that would review whether Berkley violated any law or House rules in her activities on behalf of business entities where her husband had a financial interest. The committee said that Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, will serve as the investigative panel's chairman and that Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., will serve as the lead Democratic member. The other two members of the subcommittee are Rep. Robert Latta, R-Ohio, and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Rob Jesmer, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said that the unanimous vote to move forward with the investigation "speaks volumes." The committee is evenly split, with five Republicans and five Democrats. Meanwhile, his counterpart with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Guy Cecil, said Berkley is a proven fighter for her constituents. "Voters will certainly recognize that Shelley always puts the needs of Nevadans first whether she was working to create jobs or to save the only kidney transplant center in the state," Cecil said. Monday was the deadline for lawmakers to respond to a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics. If the committee had opted to drop the matter, then it would have been required to release a report detailing what led to the referral. The office has forwarded 13 complaints to lawmakers during the current congressional session, and this was the first one that has led to the formation of an investigative panel. The original complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics was filed by the Nevada Republican Party, which relied on a report from The New York Times to question Berkley's advocacy for the Las Vegas hospital and dialysis providers in general.
[Associated
Press;
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