Ethics Committee slams retiring GOP congressman for making staff walk his dog and buy him cigarettes
On Wednesday, the final day of the 115th Congress and of Virginia Republican Tom Garrett’s congressional career, the House Ethics Committee issued a lengthy report determining that Garrett had violated House rules by directing his staff to run personal errands for him.
The report charged that Garrett had repeatedly asked staffers to, among other things, buy him cigarettes, carry his groceries, care for the family dog, and help his children apply to schools. Staffers also told the committee that the congressman’s wife, Fiona Garrett, “would berate staff, often using profanity and other harsh language, for failing to prioritize her needs over their regular official duties.” Additionally, two witnesses said that the congressman had used marijuana with staffers and inquired about buying more.
While Garrett blasted the report—after its release—as “based on half-truths and whole lies,” he had told investigators that “stuff happened that probably shouldn’t have happened,” and that he believed it was fine for staffers to do personal tasks as long as his campaign paid for them. He had an even stranger response to the marijuana allegations, telling investigators that he’d “prosecuted for the better part of a decade,” and, “If I wanted to buy marijuana, I could have it for you right quick like.”
The report also accused the Garretts of deliberately dragging their feet during the investigation so that they could run out the clock and avoid censure before the congressman’s term expired. It seems to have worked, since the now-former congressman will not need to repay the U.S. Treasury for his misuse of official resources.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/4/1823362/-Ethics-Committee-slams-retiring-GOP-congressman-for-making-staff-walk-his-dog-and-buy-him-cigarettes
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