OCE Casten Additional Evidence

August 17, 2023
Omar Ashmawy
Chief Counsel
Office of Congressional Ethics
U.S. House of Representatives
425 3rd Street, S.W., Suite 1110
Washington, DC 20024
Email: oce@mail.house.gov
RE: Rep. Sean Casten’s Continued Violations
Dear Mr. Ashmawy,
We are writing to add additional evidence to the ethics complaint that the Foundation for
Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed against Rep. Sean Casten on July 14, 2023.1 In that
complaint, we detailed how Rep. Casten is using official resources for political purposes.
Contrary to the law, Rep. Casten made numerous tweets on his campaign social media accounts
that both used official government resources and re-posted official government content,
including official House floor video, official photographs, and official press releases.2
In short, Rep. Casten’s intent to violate the law has become obvious. Since the complaint
was filed, Rep. Casten has continued to regularly use official government resources for political
purposes despite his office clearly being well aware of the law.3 For example, the attached
exhibit contains seventeen examples, over period of just nine days, where Casten used official
content on his campaign social media account. Additionally, Rep. Casten continues to link
directly to his official account from his campaign account.
1 You can find a copy of the complaint here.

2The tweets were made on his campaign account (@SeanCasten) and included re-tweeting his official account
(@RepCasten). Sean Casten, Twitter, https://twitter.com/SeanCasten, accessed: August 14, 2023.
3See, e.g., James Lynch, EXCLUSIVE: Dem Rep. Sean Casten Hit With Ethics Complaint For Allegedly Abusing
Official Resources, Daily Caller, July 14, 2023 (Casten’s office was asked about the complaint.).
www.factdc.org • 1717 K Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C., 20006 • Phone (202) 787-5860

Page 2 of 2
While the law is detailed in our prior complaint, in summary, it is quite straightforward
and states that a Member cannot use any official resources for political purposes. The law applies
in all circumstances and is repeated throughout the ethics manual in numerous factual scenarios,
including the prohibition against using any official content (such as photographs taken in official
buildings or official press releases) on campaign social media accounts.4 Another specific
example explained in the ethics manual states that a Member’s campaign social media account
“may not share, like, retweet, etc., a post from an official social media account.”5
Additionally, a Member is not allowed to link directly to their congressional social media
account on their campaign account.6
Since Rep. Casten cannot now legitimately claim he did not understand the law or that he
was not aware of it, his continued violations demonstrate a willful intent to violate the law. It is
important to note, however, that Casten is both responsible for knowing the law and ensuring that
both he and his staff abide by it. Yet, in this case where Casten is faced with an ethics complaint
and simply disregards the law, his continued willful violations are even more egregious. These
willful violations further erode citizens’ trust in government and reflect poorly on the House as a
whole. The Office of Congressional Ethics must consider Rep. Casten’s continued violations as
evidence of his willful intent to violate this straightforward ethics rule.
To the best of my knowledge and ability, all evidence submitted was not obtained in
violation of any law, rule, or regulation. Further, I am aware that the False Statements Act, 18
U.S.C. § 1001, applies to information submitted to the Office of Congressional Ethics.
Sincerely,
/s/Kendra Arnold
Kendra Arnold
Executive Director, Foundation for Accountability & Civic Trust
4U.S. House of Reps Comm. on Ethics, House Ethics Manual, at 133 (Dec. 2022 Print) (official House resources
“may not be used for campaign or political purposes”)
5Committee on Ethics, Memorandum for All Members, Officers, and Employees on Campaign Activity Guidance, at
15-16 (June 7, 2018).
6There is no disclaimer with the link. See Committee on Ethics, Memorandum for All Members, Officers, and
Employees: Change in Rules Regarding Providing a Hyperlink from Campaign Internet Sites to Official Internet
Sites, at 1 (March 9, 2012) (emphasis omitted) (providing for a narrow exception with approved disclaimer language
only).
Rep. Casten’s Continued Violations of House Rules Regarding

Twitter Usage (7/25-8/8)
As of 8/8 Rep. Casten’s Personal Twitter Still Links to His Official Account
https://twitter.com/SeanCasten
Retweets (7/25 – 8/2)
https://twitter.com/RepCasten/status/1688660307361632256?s=20
https://twitter.com/SeanCasten/status/1686868872090030080?s=20
https://twitter.com/SeanCasten/status/1686868872090030080?s=20
https://twitter.com/EnergyandPolicy/status/1686799091496349704?s=20

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August 17, 2023

RE: Rep. Sean Casten’s Continued Violations

Dear Mr. Ashmawy,

1 You can find a copy of the complaint here.

Rep. Casten’s Continued Violations of House Rules Regarding

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