April 17, 2002

In accordance with Clause 3 of House Rule XI, Committee Rule 15 and Committee Rule 19(e), which provides discretion to the Committee to establish an Investigative Subcommittee prior to sentencing when a Member has been convicted of a felony, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct voted today to establish an Investigative Subcommittee to conduct a formal inquiry regarding Representative James A. Traficant, Jr.

The Investigative Subcommittee shall have jurisdiction to determine whether Representative Traficant violated the Code of Official Conduct, or any law, rule, regulation, or other standard of conduct applicable to his conduct in the performance of his duties or the discharge of his responsibilities, with respect to any or all of the matters for which Representative Traficant recently stood trial in United States of America v. James A. Traficant, Jr., in the District Court of the United States for the Northern District of Ohio.

It is expected that, as evidence in its inquiry, the Investigative Subcommittee will rely on the record of Representative Traficant’s recent trial, and related materials. Both the Investigative Subcommittee and the full Committee are committed to conducting this matter as quickly as possible, within the framework of fairness provided to a respondent through the processes established by the Committee’s standing rules. Unless waived by a respondent, these rules require that a respondent be given certain specified periods for notice and response, including, for example: 10 days to object to the membership of an investigative subcommittee; 10 days to review the evidence if an investigative subcommittee believes a respondent should be charged; 30 days to file an answer if a Statement of Alleged Violations is transmitted to a respondent.

Representative Doc Hastings will serve as Chairman of the Investigative Subcommittee, and Representative Zoe Lofgren will serve as its Ranking Minority Member. The other two members of the Subcommittee are Representative Roger Wicker and Representative John Lewis.