CA Dem Faces Ethics Complaint for Using Office to Get Into Yosemite

A nonpartisan ethics watchdog hit Rep. T.J. Cox (D., Calif.) with an ethics complaint Wednesday for using the power of his office to score free tickets into Yosemite National Park on the Fourth of July.

"The ethics rules do not allow Members to use their official position for private or political purposes, i.e., to obtain tickets not available to the general public under the guise of official business," said Kendra Arnold, the executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT). "Given the circumstances and evidence, it certainly appears that Congressman Cox used his official position to circumvent the normal process all citizens have to go through. He then attempted to justify his trip by releasing a political video lobbying for a bill, which, by nature, would not qualify as official business."

Arnold added that an investigation should be opened to reveal the purpose of the congressman's trip, who was with him, and what funds were used for it.

After first being denied passes to Yosemite, Cox convinced the Park Service he needed the passes for official government business. Cox tweeted a picture on July 4 of him and his family enjoying what appears to be Yosemite.

More