Janelle Bynum, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Oregon, is facing accusations of covering up allegations of sexual harassment and assault against a man working with her campaign. An ethics complaint alleges that Bynum failed to act as a mandatory reporter and even threatened the individual who brought the allegations to her attention. Bynum’s campaign maintains her innocence, but text messages and statements from former campaign staff paint a different picture.
House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik has filed an ethics complaint against special counsel Jack Smith, accusing him of violating Department of Justice (DOJ) standards and trying to tip the election against former President Trump. Specifically, Stefanik alleges that Smith attempted to influence the election by hastily scheduling the trial against Trump in the January 6th case, despite its complexity, and by repeatedly violating the District Court’s stay of proceedings. She cites Smith’s comments in court emphasizing the principle that “no American is above the law” as justification for an investigation into his own conduct.
The Minnesota Legislature is facing a dilemma following the arrest of State Senator Nicole Mitchell for first-degree felony burglary. Mitchell’s actions have cast a shadow over the end of the legislative session, with Democrats and Republicans debating the appropriate response. Democrats have pulled bills from the floor and canceled hearings to discuss the matter internally, while Republicans have filed an ethics complaint and moved to expedite a hearing on it. Democrats, however, argue that due process should be followed, and that the Senate’s rules allow for ethics complaints to be resolved within 30 days.
