Republican Rep. Nancy Mace is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegedly trying to profit from a congressional program to pay for members’ homes in Washington, D.C., a claim she denies.
The South Carolina Republican sought and received approximately $9,500 more than he actually paid to live in Washington, D.C., according to a new report from the Office of Congressional Conduct.
“There is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Mace engaged in improper reimbursement practices,” the nonpartisan watchdog group said in a formal report to the House Ethics Committee. The Ethics Commission announced on Monday that it was investigating the matter.
Mace is participating in a Congressional Housing Reimbursement Program that helps subsidize room, food and travel expenses for lawmakers who must maintain families in Washington and their districts. The plan has come under intense scrutiny because it does not require detailed expenses and actually gives participating lawmakers significant pay raises.
Mace reportedly did not respond to inquiries from the Office of Congressional Conduct.
But Mace’s attorney, William Sullivan, fiercely disputed those claims in a letter to the House ethics panel, calling the report “fundamentally flawed.”
Sullivan said the report’s narrative appeared to be “influenced by Rep. Mace’s ex-fiancé,” who co-owned the house with her.
Mace is not seeking re-election to the House of Representatives but is running in a hotly contested Republican primary to become South Carolina’s next governor.
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