A Senate Democrat is facing an ethics complaint after allegedly using taxpayer resources unlawfully in connection to her reelection campaign.
Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., announced her reelection earlier this month, sharing a campaign video on her Twitter.
I ran for office to solve problems, fight for hardworking Nevada families, and make a real difference in people’s lives.
Our work in the U.S. Senate is just getting started — that’s why I’m officially launching my re-election campaign today! pic.twitter.com/rKv62KfqqQApril 5, 2023
However, because the campaign account video appears to have included footage of the senator in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room, she may have violated federal law, according to the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust.
“Senator Rosen is clearly using video taken in her official capacity in an official government building for campaign purposes in violation of federal law and Senate ethics rules,” Kendra Arnold, executive director of the right-leaning watchdog group, wrote to the committee’s chairman, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., and vice chairman, James Lankford, R-Okla., in the complaint, which was first obtained by the Washington Examiner.
“The law is broad — not only does official resources include any use of title and video taken in government buildings, but it does not allow for a senator to evade the law by re-posting video obtained from a news outlet,” the complaint added. “The law is clear and the image above speaks for itself — there are no facts that can excuse this violation.”
Senators are barred from using official resources for campaign or political activities, according to federal law. Official resources may include government buildings, like Senate offices, the Capitol Building or also staff, websites and social media accounts.
“This is an important rule because it not only protects taxpayer-funded resources from abuse, but it also protects the integrity of official proceedings by reducing the incentive for senators to use them for political purposes,” the watchdog wrote in its complaint. “It is important that the authority of the federal government not be used for campaigning. Therefore, we urge the committee to stop Senator Rosen from using official resources in her reelection campaign.”
The Democrat has pushed back against the allegations.
“[T]he video and the tweet are consistent with Senate ethics policies,” Rosen’s Senate spokesman Renzo Olivari told the Washington Examiner.
Rosen is the only declared Democrat candidate running for Nevada‘s Senate seat in 2024.
Two Republicans, ex-congressional candidate and civil rights attorney Ronda Kennedy, and Las Vegas realtor Stephanie Phillips, have entered the Nevada Senate primary.