Steve Stockman, Aides Subpoenaed In Federal Criminal Investigation

Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) and three of his aides have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in a criminal investigation.

The Houston Chronicle has the lowdown: Stockman and his aides formally notified Congress Wednesday of the subpoenas, which were issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, but did not disclose the nature of the federal probe.

Stockman said in a statement read out by a clerk on the House floor that he was meeting with lawyers “to determine whether and to what extent compliance with the subpoena is consistent with the privileges and rights of the House,” as quoted by the Chronicle.

The three aides who were served with subpoenas are senior communications and policy adviser Donny Ferguson, legislative assistant Prentice Leblanc and executive assistant Kristine Brakstad, according to the Chronicle. All three indicated they would cooperate with the investigation.

It’s not clear when the subpoenas were issued.

This summer, the Office of Congressional Ethics had urged the House Ethics Committee to investigate $15,000 in campaign contributions that Stockman accepted from two of his staffers. The OCE found Stockman may have violated federal laws and House ethics rules by accepting the donations. The independent watchdog agency also accused Stockman of impeding its investigation.

Stockman did not seek re-election to his House seat this year in order to make a run for U.S. Senate. He lost the Republican primary to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).