Texas Rep. Troy Nehls target of investigation by House ethics committee

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, the bipartisan panel announced. It did not specify the focus of the investigation, but Nehls said it was related to his campaign’s finances.

The committee announced Tuesday it was digging into a matter reported to its members on Dec. 11 and it will announce how it will proceed by May 10. Investigations do not indicate that there have been any proven violations of ethics rules.

Nehls said in a statement Tuesday that he would cooperate with the committee.

“My campaign has complied with every Federal Election Commission (FEC) law, and my books are open,” he said.

The committee is made up of five Democrats and five Republicans, with U.S. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Mississippi, serving as the chair. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, is the only Texan on the committee. Guest and ranking member Susan Wild, D-Pennsylvania, jointly agreed to pursue the investigation.

Nehls is known for his colorful personality on Capitol Hill, which has often led to controversy. A die-hard fan of President Donald Trump, Nehls doesn’t shy from loudly blasting Democrats or breaking decorum to prove a point. He wore a T-shirt with Trump’s face to the State of the Union and pushed Trump for House speaker after Kevin McCarthy was removed from the job. He wrote a book in 2022 claiming the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump.

It has also led to comments other members found offensive. Nehls called the husband of U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Missouri, a “thug” earlier this year. Bush and her husband are Black and denounced the comment as racist. The remark drew condemnation from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the Congressional Black