Schweikert repeatedly violated ethics and campaign finance rules.
In 2020, the House of Representatives formally reprimanded Schweikert and fined him $50,000 after the House Ethics Committee found he violated 11 different ethics rules, including misuse of office/campaign funds and pressuring official staff to do political work. In 2022, the Federal Election Commission fined him $125,000 for “knowingly and willingly” violating campaign finance rules.
In 2022, Schweikert’s campaign consultant was sued over inappropriate campaign materials that suggested Schweikert's opponent was gay. The consultant was forced to pay $50,000 to settle the lawsuit in 2024.
July 2020: The House Of Representatives Formally Reprimanded Schweikert For Misuse Of Taxpayer Dollars, Violating Campaign Finance Laws, And Other House Rules. According to Roll Call, “The House on Friday formally reprimanded Arizona Republican Rep. David Schweikert for permitting his office to misuse taxpayer dollars, violating campaign finance reporting requirements, and several other violations of federal law and House rules, a rare sanction of an individual member by his colleagues. The resolution, H Res 1074, passed the House by voice vote, the first time a member has been reprimanded on the floor since 2012, when California Democrat Laura Richardson was sanctioned.” [Roll Call, 7/31/20]
2020: The House Ethics Committee Fined Schweikert $50,000 For Misusing Official Funds And Breaking 11 Different Rules And Standards, Including Campaign Finance Violations, Pressuring Official Staff To Do Political Work, And Lack Of Honesty During The Investigation. According to Politico, “GOP Rep. David Schweikert on Thursday was formally reprimanded by the House Ethics Committee and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine for misusing official funds after a two-year probe. The bipartisan ethics panel found that Schweikert violated 11 different rules and standards, which also included campaign finance violations, pressuring staff into working on his campaign and a ‘lack of candor and due diligence’ throughout the investigation.” [Politico, 7/30/20]
2020: The House Ethics Committee Alleged That Schweikert Gave “Untruthful Testimony” And “Self-Serving Statements” That Went Far Beyond “Minor Memory Lapses” Or Small Discrepancies From Other People’s Testimony. According to Politico, “Over two years, that subcommittee interviewed 18 people, including former and current congressional and campaign staff. It issued four subpoenas and said Schweikert, at times, gave ‘untruthful testimony’ and ‘self-serving statements’ that went beyond far ‘minor memory lapses’ or slight differences from others’ testimony. ‘Efforts like the ones Representative Schweikert undertook to delay and impede the ISC’s investigation were not only highly detrimental to the Committee’s work and reputation of the House, they were themselves sanctionable misconduct,’ the report reads.” [Politico, 7/30/20]
2022: The Federal Election Commission Fined Schweikert $125,000 For “Knowingly And Willfully” Misreporting Campaign Finances Committed Between 2010 And 2017. According to Business Insider, “Republican Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona has agreed to pay a $125,000 fine related to repeated campaign finance violations he committed between 2010 and 2017, according to documents made public by the Federal Election Commission on Friday. The FEC found that Schweikert ‘knowingly and willfully’ misreported who and for what his official funds were used and misused campaign funds for personal affairs.” [Business Insider, 2/11/22]
2024: Schweikert’s 2022 Campaign Consultant Settled A Lawsuit Over Materials The Campaign Distributed Suggesting Schweikert’s Opponent Was Gay And Was Forced To Pay $50,000. According to KJZZ, “A political consultant linked with Congressman David Schweikert’s 2022 reelection bid settled a lawsuit over campaign sexually-charged attacks that suggested his opponent in the Republican primary election was gay. Elijah Norton, who challenged Schweikert for the GOP nomination that year, filed the lawsuit over campaign materials and social media posts that implied he was gay. That included a mailer with a photo of Norton alongside another man, and the phrase ‘Elijah Norton Isn’t Being Straight With You.’ Johnathan Huey, who ran a political action committee opposing Norton’s candidacy, also admitted under oath to running a social media account that used sexual innuendo to criticize Norton. According to court documents, Huey agreed to pay $50,000 to settle the case.” [KJZZ, 4/30/24]