House Ethics Committee presses for more records in inquiry into Rep. Lindsey’s caucus expenses

The House Committee on Ethics met to review documentary evidence in a complaint filed by Representative Marshall and Representative Lindsey’s response, and directed staff to seek additional records to clarify a disputed hotel charge and other caucus expenses.

Madam Chair opened the meeting by telling members the committee had received a “tremendous response” to an evidence request and that members must review the complaint and response impartially. Chair stated the committee would take the time necessary to “do this right” and ensure both Representative Lindsey and Representative Marshall receive a full and complete review.

Elena Love of the Office of Legislative Legal Services told the committee OLLS had sent 11 initial letters requesting evidence; seven letters produced documents uploaded to the committee’s Box account and three did not. Love said OLLS initially redacted account numbers and signatures but adjusted redaction procedures as evidence arrived and that a follow-up letter requesting outstanding materials had been sent with a deadline of “tomorrow at 5 p.m.”

Committee members raised practical problems with the materials they received. OLLS and members said Representative Lindsey’s spreadsheet included about 15–20 receipt links that would not open because the spreadsheet lines contained multiple links; staff indicated they could follow up to obtain the inaccessible receipts. Representative Garcia Sander suggested assembling a timeline tying emails, receipts and bank statements to dates and events so the committee could reconcile charges and supporting documents.

The committee focused discussion on a $6,358.68 charge at a Marriott property. Members debated whether Representative Lindsey believed the charge would be billed to her card and whether the card on file was a debit or credit card. The chair said the receipts in Lindsey’s materials suggested she had used a personal card for many caucus-related purchases and described that as “poor practice” while acknowledging how that could happen under pressure. “I want to be in the room where it happened,” the chair said, describing a desire to see the materials leadership had reviewed.

Representative Mabry questioned the timing around the Marriott charge and related transactions. He noted a sequence in which the caucus account reportedly showed a small balance early in the month, a roughly $60,000 deposit appeared midmonth, and then charges posted to the caucus account; he asked why a caucus card would be used if personal cards were also being used and requested booking and billing communications from the Courtyard/Marriott to clarify which account the hotel was told to charge.

Representative Soper and other members highlighted apparent delays in posting and in cashing replacement checks, arguing those delays make Lindsey’s explanation less straightforward and warrant follow-up documentation (emails from the hotel, the hotel’s notice of impending charges, and an itemization of receipts). Members also asked staff to check whether the card number shown on receipts (the card ending in 1519) was a debit card and to provide bank statements showing balances at relevant times.

Representative Woodrow and others urged the committee to obtain itemized receipts (not just totals) and to consider additional meeting time to match receipts to charges. Woodrow said the committee may need more time than originally anticipated and questioned whether a forensic accountant would be necessary, though OLLS noted the committee’s 30‑day window to complete this stage and flagged May 20 as the deadline.

OLLS agreed to request additional documents identified by members, including communications with the hotel and vendors, caucus calendars and staff calendars (the chair suggested asking Speaker staff and caucus staff such as Rebecca Kisner, Representative Titone and Representative Joseph), and to provide hard copies or consolidated files to help members who prefer paper. Members tentatively reserved a Wednesday 7:30 a.m. slot for follow-up meetings and adjourned until that time.

Next steps: OLLS will follow up on inaccessible links in Lindsey’s spreadsheet, request hotel billing communications and calendars that would verify events tied to charges, and provide members with consolidated or hard-copy materials to aid review. The committee emphasized the May 20 deadline for completing the committee’s current stage of review.