JACKIE SPEIER COMMITTEE on AHMED SERVICES

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TWITTER.COM 

March 15, 2018

The Honorable Paul Ryan
Speaker

US. House of Representatives
The Capitol
Washington, DC. 20515

Dear Speaker Ryan:

Thank you for your dedication to holding Members of Congress accountable to the high
standards our of?ce demands. To that end, I request that you hold Congressman Blake
arenthold (TX-27) to his promise to repay the $84,000 settlement that was made on his behalf.

Three years ago, Congressman Farenthold settled a sexual harassment lawsuit with a former
female aid for $84,000 in taxpayer funds. When the settlement was made public last December,
Congressman Farenthold told KRIS-TV in a recorded interview that he would ?present a check
to House Speaker Paul Ryan, this week in Washington? to repay the amount of the settlement.1
That was on December 4, 2017. It is now March 15, 2018, and the settlement remains unpaid.

Congressman Farenthold?s justi?cation for his refusal to follow through on his promise to repay
taxpayers continues to change. On January 30, 2018, KXAN reported that Congressman
Farenthold?s communications staff said that the Congressman was ?waiting to see what changes
the House makes to the Congressional Accountability Act before repaying the funds.?2 After the
House passed the CAA Reform Act, Congressman Farenthold?s Chief of Staff told the
Huf?ngton Post that is waiting on the advice of counsel to see what ?nal bill is

enacted. . .Once the ?nal bill is done and the law is changed and is complete and he can see that,
he will make a determination of how he proceeds.?3

I am glad to see that the House Committee on Ethics established an Investigative Subcommittee
on December 21, 2017 to further examine the previous and additional alleged misconduct in
Congressman Farenthold?s of?ce. However, this is not relevant to Congressman Farenthold?s
public pronouncement that he would pay back the money for which taxpayers have already been

 

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on the hook. I urge you to make sure that Congressman Farenthold keeps his promise to the
American people and reimburses the U.S. Treasury immediately for the full amount of the
settlement.

Thank you for your close attention this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any
questions.

Sincerely,

 

Jackie Spei