North Carolina Congressman Mel Watt is one of eight House members under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics, The New York Times reports today, over whether they improperly shifted their positions on a bill to overhaul financial regulations in return for campaign contributions.
All eight House members are on the Financial Services or Ways and Means committees; there are five Republicans—all of whom voted against the bill—and three Democrats, who voted for it.
Investigators are analyzing correspondence between financial industry lobbyists and lawmakers, as well as financial records. No charges have been filed. In fact, more than half of the investigations conducted by the ethics office go nowhere.
Watt has not released a statement in response to the investigation. His office had no comment Tuesday morning.
Watt represents the 12th District, which extends from Winston-Salem to Charlotte.
The news was first reported on Monday by The Hill, a Washington newspaper that covers Congress.