CONGRESS

The House Ethics committee is launching an investigation into whether Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) improperly collected over $9,000 in reimbursements meant to subsidize housing costs for members of Congress. A new referral from the Office of Congressional Conduct, the nonpartisan entity charged with reviewing ethics complaints against lawmakers, recommended the committee investigate Mace after finding “substantial reason to believe” that she “engaged in improper reimbursement practices” The referral alleges Mace received the maximum amount lawmakers can expense for lodging at her D.C. property over 13 months in 2023 and 2024 at a total greater than the cost of her actual expenses at the property. The report claims Mace collected $9,485.46 in excess reimbursements. In a statement, Mace’s office accused OCC of being a partisan office that “retaliates against women and ignores its own evidentiary standards” and said Mace is “not taking seriously” the ethics complaint. Mace did not participate in the probe. An attorney for Mace submitted a response to OCC in December accusing her former fiance Patrick Bryant of providing records and sharing “false narratives and spurious characterizations” with OCC. Bryant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mace’s breakup with Bryant exploded into headlines last year when she accused Bryant and three other South Carolina men of sexual abuse during a House subcommittee hearing last year. Bryant has denied Mace’s allegations. The release of the report falls just ahead of the 60-day window when the House Ethics committee would be forbidden from taking on new investigations ahead of an election in which the subject of the probe is a candidate. Mace is running for governor of South Carolina, which is holding its primary on June 9th. The reimbursement practices Mace is alleged to have violated are relatively new for House members. In April 2023, lawmakers for the first time were able to claim reimbursement for meals and lodging on a voluntary basis. The cash comes from the same office accounts that fund their official travel and staff salaries. Mace’s case is one of the first House Ethics cases dealing with the relatively new rules, which were the first update to Congress’ financial operation in decades. Lawmakers haven’t raised their own pay since the depths of the Great Recession and have voted each year to block cost-of-living increases for fear of political backlash. But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle lamented the cost of maintaining two residences on their $174,000 annual salaries and the reimbursement process was intended to lessen the out-of-pocket load for lawmakers. Katherine Tully-McManus contributed to this report.

The White House told Republican lawmakers Monday that “America will win” and “the terrorist Iranian regime will be defeated” as it seeks to address criticism of the shifting war aims being put forward by President Donald Trump and his deputies following Saturday’s initial strikes. A memo sent to Hill Republicans by White House Congressional Communications Director Charyssa Parent Monday afternoon laid out four military objectives, including “annihilating” Iran’s navy and assuring it can never produce a nuclear weapon. The elimination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the memo said, was a “byproduct” of those aims. But while a set of talking points shied away from saying the operation is aimed at regime change, it predicted nonetheless that would be the outcome of the operation, which it did not describe — as Trump has — as a “war.” “President Trump should be commended for killing terrorists and finally having the courage to do what American presidents for nearly 50 years have all contemplated but failed to execute,” the document said. “The rogue Iranian Regime, under the evil hand of the Ayatollah, has killed and maimed thousands of U.S. soldiers over the years. Their brutal attacks and threats will end under President Donald J. Trump. America will win – the terrorist Iranian regime will be defeated.” Elsewhere it reads, “Though the regime has changed, this operation is about ending the threat posed to the United States by the Iranian Regime.” The White House messaging guidance comes as Trump supporters outside of government have started to voice misgivings about the president’s decision to strike Iran. House Republicans have been quieter so far, but some are wary of a prolonged war — especially ahead of the November midterm elections. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) posted on X after the strikes that “America First is supposed to be a policy mindset, not another empty slogan with hollow promises” and that Congress needed to have a role in authorizing the conflict. The memo seeks to play down any concerns about an open-ended commitment to the Iran operation without specifying exactly how long it might last. “A long and drawn-out war is not the President’s intention,” the White House memo says. “The President has estimated this operation will last approximately 4-5 weeks.”

The former first couple testified for hours last week in high-stakes interviews.

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mon.) announced on Monday he will not run for reelection, the latest House Republican to retire ahead of the midterms. The former Interior secretary said in a letter to constituents released on Monday that health issues motivated his decision to leave Washington. Zinke said he’s undergone “multiple surgeries” since returning to Congress in 2023 to correct injuries sustained during his time as a Navy SEAL. “The injuries sustained from a career in Special Operations are not immediately life threatening, but the repair cannot be deferred any longer and recovery will require considerable time with Lola and the family,” Zinke said in the letter. “My judgement and experience tell me it is better for Montana and America to have full-time representation in Congress than run the risk of uncertain absence and missed votes.” Zinke’s decision to wait until next year to leave Washington will likely be viewed as a gift to House Republican leadership, as they navigate the duration of the current Congress with a slim majority. His retirement could make Montana’s 1st District more competitive for Democrats in November. Prior to Zinke’s announcement, House Democrats had been targeting the district, which Zinke won by eight points in 2024. Hours after Zinke’s announcement, Montana talk radio host Aaron Flint announced his campaign for Congress in a social media post. Flint immediately earned the endorsement of Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mon.), who called him “a strong voice for Montana Values across our airwaves.” Zinke said he spoke to Trump and to Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte before announcing his retirement. In a statement, Gianforte praised Zinke for being “an outspoken advocate for Montanans and our values from protecting public lands to restoring accountability in the federal government.” Zinke first entered Congress in 2015 before leaving Congress after President Donald Trump’s 2016 election to join his Cabinet. Zinke helmed the Department of the Interior until he resigned in 2019 after being the subject of multiple investigations into his conduct in office and his business dealings. He ran for Congress again in 2022. Prior to entering Congress, Zinke served as active duty military with the Navy SEALs for over 20 years and served as a deputy commander of the Joint Special Forces during the Iraq War. He was awarded the Bronze Star in 2006.

It was U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb’s third time blocking or limiting DHS’s efforts to prevent unannounced lawmaker visits.