Trump ally target of 'bogus' ethics investigation blames friendship with the president

By SAMANTHA LOREN, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 23:01, 27 July 2026 | Updated: 23:10, 27 July 2026 Texas Representative Lance Gooden is facing an ethics review after the House Ethics Committee announced Monday that it is investigating the congressman. The committee said the case was referred by the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC) in June, and that it is extending its review while deciding whether further action is warranted. The committee did not disclose the specific allegations against Gooden. It emphasized that extending a review does not mean any law or House rule has been violated, nor does it indicate that the committee has reached any conclusions. In response, Gooden denied any wrongdoing. He described the allegations as 'bogus spending allegations' and said they were brought by unelected OCC staff.  Gooden said he is confident the House Ethics Committee will determine that the allegations are without merit. 'These are bogus spending allegations perpetrated by dishonest unelected OCC bureaucrats, and as the fifth Texas GOP ally of the President to endure one of these attacks, I am confident the House Ethics Committee will confirm their baseless nature,' Gooden said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The reason for the investigation is not immediately clear, but Gooden said it was finance-related, although the precise nature of the allegations remains unclear. The Ethics Committee has not released any additional details about the referral or the claims under review. Gooden  has denied any wrongdoing and described the allegations as 'bogus spending allegations' brought by unelected Office of Congressional Conduct staff Gooden had previously come under scrutiny in 2021 over allegations that he failed to properly disclose a series of stock trades made while serving in Congress The announcement comes as ethics scrutiny has touched other members of the Texas Republican delegation. Last month, the Texas Tribune reported that Representative Troy Nehls was facing an age discrimination complaint from a former employee.  The complaint to the House Ethics Committee alleges that his former deputy chief of staff was one of three employees who experienced unfair treatment because of their age while working for Nehls. Nehls's office has rejected the allegations, branding the complaint 'baseless lies.' Gooden has previously come under scrutiny over allegations that he failed to properly disclose a series of stock trades made while serving in Congress. In September 2021, the nonprofit Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics, alleging that the Texas Republican failed to report multiple stock transactions as required under the STOCK Act – a law passed to increase transparency and prevent conflicts of interest involving congressional trading. The complaint claimed Gooden made 12 stock purchases in 2020 with a combined reported value ranging from approximately $60,019 to $376,000, but did not properly disclose the transactions within the required timeframe. The allegations centered on whether Gooden followed federal disclosure requirements designed to give the public greater insight into lawmakers' financial activities. Gooden has denied wrongdoing in connection with ethics allegations and has maintained that he has complied with the rules governing congressional financial disclosures. The complaint was part of a broader wave of scrutiny facing lawmakers over stock trading disclosures, as watchdog groups pushed for greater accountability and transparency on Capitol Hill. For now, Gooden remains adamant that the investigation will ultimately clear him, while the House Ethics Committee continues its review behind closed doors. The committee said it expects to announce its next step in the matter on or before November 9, 2026. The Daily Mail reached out to Representative Gooden for comment on the ethics probe.