Politics

Wasserman Schultz Named One Of Congress’ ‘Most Ethically Challenged’ For House IT Scandal

DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz speaks at a rally before the arrival of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine in Miami

REUTERS/Scott Audette

Peter Hasson Editor
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Independent government watchdog Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust (FACT) named Democratic Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz one of Congress’ “most ethically challenged” members for her role in the House IT scandal.

Wasserman Schultz was named the second most ethically challenged member; every congressman on Congress’ list of secret harassment settlements tied for first. 

Two of Wasserman Schultz’s former IT aides, Imran Awan and his wife, Hina Alvi, have been indicted on charges of conspiracy against the United States. Evidence gathered in a cybersecurity probe in the House of Representatives revealed a litany of violations, although the two aides have not yet been charged in that probe. (RELATED: Two Former Wasserman Schultz IT Aides Indicted For Conspiracy Against US)

FACT filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics in July after Wasserman Schultz continued employing Awan for months after Capitol Police said he was under investigation, and even after he was banned from the House network. Wasserman Schultz seemingly planned to continue paying Awan even after he moved back to his native country of Pakistan.

The Democratic congresswoman also tried to intimidate Capitol Police into handing over a laptop that she indicated belonged to her. She later changed her story and said the laptop belonged to Awan. The laptop’s hard drive has played a central role in the legal case against the former Democratic IT aides. (RELATED: Hard Drive Tied to Wasserman Schultz Is Central To Imran Awan Case)

Republican Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis said in August that the House IT scandal, which remains ongoing, is “one of the all-time congressional scandals in the last 30 years.”

Editor’s Note:

The Daily Caller, Inc., the Daily Caller News Foundation, and Luke Rosiak have settled a defamation lawsuit brought by Imran Awan, Abid Awan, Jamal Awan, Tina Alvi, and Rao Abbas (“the Plaintiffs”), in the D.C. Superior Court, Awan et al. v. The Daily Caller, Inc. et al., No. 2020 CA 000652 B (D.C. Super.) (“The Lawsuit”).
 
The Plaintiffs filed the Lawsuit in 2020, alleging that they were defamed by statements made by The Daily Caller entities and Mr. Rosiak, including statements in Obstruction of Justice, a 2019 book authored by Mr. Rosiak and published by Regnery Publishing, a business of Salem Media Group, Inc., about the Plaintiffs’ work for the U.S. House of Representatives. In response, The Daily Caller entities and Mr. Rosiak each denied liability and contested the Plaintiffs’ claims. 
 
None of the Defendants has admitted to any fault as part of this settlement. Nevertheless, The Daily Caller entities and Mr. Rosiak recognize that no charges have ever been filed against the Plaintiffs relating to their congressional IT work.