The House Ethics Committee has voted to create a special panel to probe activities of Rep. Don Young (R.-Alaska). The Associated Press reports that that the investigation will concentrate on "his expenses and travel costs for trips that were already the subject of an ethics investigation." According to the news organization, the probe arises after a referral from the Justice Department, which had previously investigated allegations that the Congressman "accepted gifts in exchange for political patronage."
The announcement on the House Ethics Committee website is:
In accordance with House Rule XI, clause 3 and Committee Rules 10(a)(2) and 18, the Committee on Ethics (Committee) unanimously voted on February 26, 2013, to establish an Investigative Subcommittee. Pursuant to the Committee’s action, the Investigative Subcommittee shall have jurisdiction to determine whether Representative Don Young violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other applicable standard of conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities, with respect to allegations that he, or persons acting on his behalf, improperly obtained, received, or accepted gifts, improperly used official resources or campaign funds for personal purposes, failed to report certain gifts on his annual Financial Disclosure Statements, and made false statements to federal officials.
