WASHINGTON — National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Executive Director Rob Jesmer issued the following statement today in regards to the news that the House Ethics Committee’s ongoing investigation of Congresswoman Shelley Berkley has now interviewed the top aide of the Southern Nevada Veterans Affairs Program:

“The news that the House Ethics Committee has now interviewed the chief of the Southern Nevada Veterans Affairs program is an ominous sign that embattled Congresswoman Shelley Berkley’s ongoing ethics investigation is now much broader than we previously knew about.  Given the serious nature of the allegation that Shelley Berkley used her office to enrich herself, it’s time for her to come clean with the people of Nevada.”

BACKGROUND …

“The top official for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Southern Nevada has been questioned by the House Ethics Committee in its investigation of allegations that Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., used her office to boost her husband’s medical practice.  John Bright, director of the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System, confirmed Friday that he spoke with committee representatives earlier this fall, as the committee presses to wrap up its work by the end of the year.  “I had a discussion with them,” Bright said, declining to elaborate on the contact because of an agreement he said he signed with the committee. He said he was not subpoenaed.”  (Steve Tetreault, VA chief in Las Vegas questioned in Berkley ethics probe, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/27/12)

In July 2012, The Ethics Committee Announced They Unanimously Voted To Proceed With The Investigation Against Berkley. “In a move that shakes up the U.S. Senate race in Nevada, the House Ethics Committee announced Monday it will investigate allegations that Rep. Shelley Berkley used her office wrongfully to advance health policies that benefited her husband, a prominent Las Vegas doctor. The committee’s leaders said the panel voted unanimously to establish a four-member subcommittee armed with subpoena powers to conduct the probe, a process expected to stretch through the summer and fall and cloud the Las Vegas Democrat as she campaigns for the U.S. Senate.” (Steve Tetreault, “House panel to investigate allegations against Berkley,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 7/9/12)

The House Ethics Committee Consists Of 5 Republicans And 5 Democrats.  The Democrats On The Committee Are Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John Yarmuth (D-KY), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR), Joe Courtney, (D-CT). (House Ethics Committee Website, Accessed 10/24/12)

“‘It’s Certainly Not Good News, And With A Unanimous Vote, It Becomes Even Worse News,’ Said Eric Herzik, Professor Of Political Science At UNR. ‘Heller doesn’t even have to do anything … so this is a pretty severe blow. She was going to have damage control to do anyway; now the damage is even worse.’” (Karen Demirjian, “Formal ethics investigation likely to dog Berkley for duration of Senate campaign,” Las Vegas Sun, 7/10/12)

Jennifer Duffy Of The Cook Political Report Said There Was More Juice Behind The Investigation Because The Votes Was Unanimous. “Jennifer Duffy, an analyst with the Cook Political Report, said the ethics probe is a blow to Berkley, giving Republicans stronger ammunition against her and probably keeping the matter open all the way to Election Day. ‘The issue stays alive through the campaign, and Republicans got a little bit more juice behind it with the unanimous vote’ from five Democrats and five Republicans on the panel, Duffy said.” (Steve Tetreault and Laura Myers, “Berkley facing ethics probe,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 7/10/12)

Associated Press: “The Committee Could Have Dismissed The Complaint Outright, But Its Unanimous Decision To Conduct A Formal Investigation Gives Critics More Opportunity To Raise The Specter Of Impropriety By Berkley, who has said she was merely looking out for kidney patients who would have had to travel out-of-state to get transplants.” (Kevin Freking, “Ethics Committee appoints panel in Berkley Case,” The Associated Press, 7/10/12)

Las Vegas Review Journal: “Truth Is, This Is A Major Blow To The Berkley Campaign. Nor Can This Be Dismissed As A Partisan Smear. None Of The Five Democrats On The 10-Member Ethics Panel Dissented. And USA Today Reports That The Committee’s Action Is Somewhat Rare, given that five of the last six cases the independent Office of Congressional Ethics has forwarded to the House panel have ended there without further investigation.” (Editorial, “Berkley Probe,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 7/12/12)

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