Misused public fundsOversight & ethics enforcement

House Office of Congressional Ethics referred Rep. Marlin Stutzman to the Ethics Committee, citing substantial reason to believe campaign funds paid for a personal family trip; he denied a violation, and the Committee published no finding before he left the House, 2016

Confidence: Confirmed · 4 sourcesIndiana · Oct 12, 2026

Subject of this story

Marlin A. Stutzman, U.S. Representative, IN-3

Also named

Oversight

Office of Congressional Ethics

U.S. House Committee on Ethics

What happened

On August 26, 2016 the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) voted 5-0 to refer Rep. Marlin Stutzman to the House Committee on Ethics, finding substantial reason to believe campaign funds from his Senate committee were used for airfare and a rental vehicle on a personal family trip to California in August 2015. The OCE report states its findings do not determine whether a violation occurred. The report says Stutzman had three campaign meetings during the five-and-a-half day trip while his family took part in personal activities, that his Senate campaign paid the full $1,146.65 vehicle rental (not reimbursed as of the report), and that he reimbursed his campaign $1,518 for his wife's and children's airfare on or around April 13, 2016, after media inquiries. He told the OCE he did not think he needed to repay it and did so "out of the abundance of caution." His counsel told the Committee on September 29, 2016 that he did not violate federal campaign finance law, calling it a campaign fundraising trip, and argued the OCE staff was predisposed to find a violation. On November 29, 2016 the Committee announced it would continue reviewing the matter and published the OCE report and his response. He did not run for re-election to the House in 2016, and the Committee's report on its 114th Congress activities says it would have no jurisdiction over him after January 3, 2017; no Committee finding on the allegation appears in that report or among its published statements. Stutzman returned to the House in January 2025.

Sources (4)

House Committee on Ethics, Statement regarding Representative Marlin Stutzman (Nov 29, 2016) with OCE Report and Findings, Review No. 16-3645On August 31, 2016, the Committee on Ethics received a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) regarding Representative Marlin Stutzman... the Committee will review the matter pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a).

Office of Congressional Ethics, Report and Findings, Review No. 16-3645 (Rep. Marlin Stutzman), published by the Committee on EthicsThe Board recommends that the Committee on Ethics further review the allegation that Representative Stutzman used campaign funds for personal purposes, as there is substantial reason to believe that campaign funds were used to pay for a personal family trip to California. Votes in the affirmative: 5; negative: 0.

Foley & Lardner LLP for Rep. Stutzman, Response to August 31, 2016 Letter (Sept 29, 2016), published by the Committee on EthicsRep. Stutzman did not violate the Federal Election Campaign Laws... Specifically, Rep. Stutzman did not violate 52 U.S.C. 30114(b)(1)... by using personal funds for a campaign fundraising trip to California in August 2015.

House Committee on Ethics, Report on the Activities of the Committee on Ethics, 114th Congress (H. Rept. 114-910)Representative Stutzman did not run for reelection to the House for the 115th Congress, and the Committee will not have jurisdiction over him after January 3, 2017.

Response

Marlin A. Stutzman

Statement given

Contacted and responded — exact wording not on record.

What happened next (0)

No outcome recorded yet.

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