An ethics watchdog is calling for an investigation into Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) after he failed to disclose free housing he has allegedly been provided in Georgia.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, which is right-leaning, submitted a letter to the Senate Ethics Committee urging the panel to open an investigation into whether Warnock violated federal law and Senate ethics rules when he failed to disclose that he has been living in a home owned by Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he still serves as a part-time senior pastor.
The Washington Free Beacon reported that Warnock moved into the home in 2023 and lives there rent-free. The complaint details the October 2022 purchase by the church for $989,000. It was marketed as an upscale retreat, boasting features such as a 100-bottle wine cooler, a Bluetooth-integrated stainless steel stove, custom crown molding, and a walk-in closet connected to a European-style bathroom equipped with a remote-operated privacy curtain.
Not long after the purchase, Warnock began living in the home. Around the same time, he sold his former Georgia residence and bought a new home in Washington, D.C.
“There are tax laws and ethics rules which allow for a Senator to accept reasonable lodging or housing but they are only applicable in a narrow set of circumstances — they are not an open-ended loophole that can be abused,” FACT Executive Director Kendra Arnold said in a press release on Monday.
“Among other factors, it’s critical that the value of the housing provided be commensurate to the work done — and then the value be disclosed. It’s difficult to fathom any citizen could look at this situation (a U.S. Senator is that is a part-time employee of an organization, which pays him a salary and then happens to buy him a million-dollar house to live in for free after he was elected to Congress) and not think something potentially wrong is afoot,” Arnold added.
Senators are required to abide by Senate ethics rules, which allow for disciplinary action in response to any form of misconduct, even behavior unrelated to their official responsibilities. The rules prohibit lawmakers from receiving anything of value unless a specific exemption is clearly met. Additionally, any such receipt must be publicly reported. These rules are designed to guard against ethical breaches, including conflicts of interest and corruption.
RAPHAEL WARNOCK LIKELY VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW OVER PASTOR SALARY DISCLOSURE, WATCHDOG SAYS
Warnock’s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner. This is not the first time financial ethics concerns have surrounded the Georgia senator. In 2023, the watchdog organization flagged another possible violation of federal law in which Warnock utilized a questionable financial strategy to receive substantial earnings from his part-time pastoral role.
FACT contended that Warnock may have circumvented outside income restrictions by designating $125,000 of his 2022 compensation from Ebenezer Baptist Church as “deferred compensation” for services rendered prior to his Senate service. The arrangement was not disclosed in earlier financial statements, prompting the organization to call for an investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee.