Sen. Ossoff: “I am demanding that Congressman Mike Collins […] explain to Georgia voters and the press why he has refused to answer questions, refused to testify, stonewalled and obstructed the Office of Congressional Conduct.”

Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United: “Today we’re calling on Congressman Collins to answer some pretty key questions: Why did he refuse to cooperate? What is he hiding, and why was he giving taxpayer money to someone for a no-show job?”

Atlanta, Ga. — Senator Jon Ossoff and ethics experts are turning up the pressure on GOP U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins to demand answers from the congressman in the ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer dollars.

Sen. Ossoff held a virtual press conference demanding for Collins to explain to Georgia voters and press why he has refused to answer questions, refused to testify, and obstructed the Office of Congressional Conduct after a federal investigation was launched by the House Ethics Committee into how Collins allowed his former chief of staff, who had been convicted of criminal battery, to illegally funnel thousands of federal tax dollars to a girlfriend who did no work for the office. 

The Senator also directly quoted the bipartisan Office of Congressional Conduct report, which details how “Collins refused to cooperate” before formally recommending that the Committee on Ethics subpoena the congressman. Sen. Ossoff said:

“Here are some quotes from the report issued by the Office of Congressional Conduct, a bipartisan official body of the United States House of Representatives. They wrote, ‘Rep. Collins has not responded to any communications or requests from the OCC.’ [p.35]

“They wrote that, ‘In so doing, Congressman Collins refused to cooperate with the OCC.’ [p.36] Accordingly, they wrote, ‘The board recommends that the Committee on Ethics issue subpoenas to Representative Michael Collins.’ [p.37].

“Now, remember, this is in the document in which the Office of Congressional Conduct stated, ‘There is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Collins used congressional resources for unofficial or otherwise unauthorized purposes,’ [p.1] and furthermore, the Office of Congressional Conduct, in the course of their investigation, interviewed several witnesses, and this is a quote again from the Office of Congressional Conduct, ‘Several witnesses—including current and former House staffers—expressed to the OCC concerns about possible retaliation for their cooperation with this review,’ [p.7].”

Ethics experts Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United, and Ambassador Norm Eisen, Co-founder and Board Member of the Democracy Defenders Action recently demanded that GOP U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins be transparent with Georgia voters after months of refusing to cooperate with the ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer dollars. 

“Members of Congress don’t get to take responsibility when things go well, but then look the other way when things don’t go so well,” said Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United. “And they sure certainly shouldn’t be able to stonewall the congressional ethics process when investigators come looking for answers. So Mike Collins owes his constituents and Georgia taxpayers answers on this. And he should fully cooperate with both the House Ethics Committee and be transparent with the OCC. And the House Ethics Committee, we are calling on them to use every tool at its disposal, including subpoenas, to get those answers and to hold Collins accountable.”

“We demand a full accounting of Congressman Collins’ congressional funds, and we urge the Office of Congressional Conduct, the OCC, and the House Ethics Committee to continue fully investigating this potential wrongdoing,” said Norm Eisen, Co-founder and Board Member, Democracy Defenders Action.“Every member of Congress should be held accountable for potential ethics violations, and they should cooperate when these serious questions are being investigated. Congressman Collins’ refusal to provide testimony and cooperation with the OCC review should be concerning to all Americans who believe their elected officials should be held accountable to the rule of law and should participate if there is a legitimate investigation.”

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