The action targets Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of House Republicans’ campaign arm. Rules bar lawmakers from using recordings of official proceedings for campaigns.
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina), chair of the House Republicans’ campaign arm, is facing an ethics complaint for using footage of official House floor and committee action in campaign materials.
Members of Congress are prohibited by House ethics rules from using recordings of official proceedings for campaign purposes, including footage by third-party sources such as news outlets.
Brian Lemek, executive director of anti-corruption advocacy organization Defend the Vote, filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Conduct on Friday asserting that the National Republican Congressional Committee violated those rules by posting images on a committee website of Democratic members taken from floor and committee meetings.
The images include stills of Reps. Frank J. Mrvan (D-Indiana) and Tom Suozzi (D-New York) from C-SPAN footage of the State of the Union address, as well as photos of Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Washington), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) in committee meetings or on the floor. All are in competitive races this year.
The NRCC declined to comment.
Members of Congress face strict rules to separate their campaigning from official business. They are barred from using any official House resources, including free mailing services or official social media accounts, for campaign purposes.
Read more in the Washington Post