Ernst had romantic relationships with top military officials who lobbied her committee.
Ernst Sat On The Senate’s Armed Services Committee Which Oversaw The Pentagon And Played A Crucial Role In Setting Its Annual Budget. According to ProPublica, “But one of the women whose relationship with Finerty was scrutinized by the inspector general was Sen. Joni Ernst, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation. The Iowa Republican and combat veteran is one of the most influential voices on the Hill about the military, and she sits on the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, which oversees the Pentagon and plays a crucial role in setting its annual budget.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
Ethics Experts Claimed That Relationships Between Lawmakers And Lobbyists Or Other Legislative Advocates Could Create A Conflict Of Interest. According to ProPublica, “Ernst and the officials were not married at the time and Senate rules do not bar lawmakers from entering into romantic relationships with lobbyists or other legislative advocates. But ethics experts say such relationships can create a conflict of interest, and other lawmakers have been criticized for such behavior in the past.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
A Former Air Force Officer Who Worked For General Finerty Claimed That His Relationship With Ernst “Absolutely Gave The Air Force Undue Influence.” According to ProPublica, “A former Air Force officer who worked for Finerty said the perception in the office was that his relationship with Ernst ‘absolutely gave the Air Force undue influence.’” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
Multiple Sources Within The Airforce Claimed That There Were Concerns About Ernst’s Relationship And That Ernst Was The Focus Of Inspector General Investigation. According to ProPublica, “Six sources who worked for the Air Force or in Congress told ProPublica that they had heard about a relationship between Ernst and Finerty and there had been concerns about it for years. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not have permission to speak publicly or feared for their jobs. One source said that they were told about the relationship by one of the two participants. Two sources said they heard from witnesses interviewed by the inspector general that Ernst was a focus of the investigation.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
Ernst’s Spokesperson Claimed That The “Fake News Media” Was “Gossiping” And That Insinuations that She Was Influenced Was A “Slanderous Lie.” According to ProPublica, “A spokesperson for Ernst would not address whether the senator had any relationships with military legislative liaisons but said the lawmaker maintained her independence: ‘The fake news media is clearly too busy gossiping to report the real news that Senator Ernst is focused on cutting waste at the Pentagon. Her votes and work in the Senate are guided by the voices of Iowans who elected her and her constitutional duty alone. Any insinuation otherwise by tabloid ‘journalism’ is a slanderous lie — full stop.’” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
Since The Inspector General’s Report Was Heavily Redacted, It Was Unclear Which Parts Of The Report Referred To Ernst. According to ProPublica, “The nature of his relationship with the women varied, from suggestive messages to graphic sexting and photos to physical sex, according to the report. Sources told ProPublica that the inspector general asked witnesses about Ernst, but because of the redactions in the report, it’s unclear which sections, if any, refer to the senator.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
Ernst Was Pushing For More Money And Projects For The Air Force While Finerty Was Heading The Legislative Affairs Office. According to ProPublica, “Around the time Finerty was heading the legislative affairs office, from April 2019 to March 2023, Ernst publicly pushed for more money and championed projects for the Air Force on multiple occasions, including in at least one instance on a specific matter that Finerty was advocating for on the Hill.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
2021: Ernst Pushed For More Air Force Funding. According to ProPublica, “In June 2021, she pushed for more Air Force funding from the Senate floor: ‘While the Biden budget promises a bureaucratic buildup at the IRS, his proposal is far less generous to our armed forces. The Air Force would suffer a substantial cut in its number of aircraft.’” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
2022: Ernst Attacked Biden For A Proposed Budget That She Claims “Shrinks The Size OF Our Airforce.” According to ProPublica, “In April 2022, she attacked then-President Joe Biden for a proposed budget that ‘shrinks the size of our Air Force.’ ‘With Putin and his cronies invading Ukraine, China testing hypersonic missiles and threatening Taiwan, Iran enriching uranium, and the Taliban back in control of Afghanistan, it’s as critical as ever that we provide for a strong national defense,’ Ernst said in a statement.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
2022: Ernst Pushed Legislation To Improve The Pentagon’s Access To Critical Minerals Warning That The Air Force’s Premier Fighter Jet Was Made From Minerals sourced From Russia And China. According to ProPublica, “Two months later, she pushed legislation to improve the Pentagon’s access to critical minerals, warning ‘the Air Force’s premier fighter jet, the F-22, is made with layers of titanium alloy, much of which is sourced from Russia and China.’” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
2023: After Finerty Left His Post, Ernst Introduced A Bill That Would Establish The Joint All Domain Command And Control Which Was On The List Of Priorities Finerty Texted One Of The Women On The Hill He Was Romantically Involved With. According to ProPublica, “In November 2023, several months after Finerty left his post, she introduced a bill to allow the Pentagon to connect weapons and technology across the various branches of the government, a concept known as Joint All Domain Command and Control — which was on the list of top priorities he texted to one of the women on the Hill he was romantically involved with.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
2019: Ernst Had A Previous Romantic Relationship With A Legislative Affairs Official For The Navy. According to ProPublica, “Three other sources told ProPublica that around 2019 Ernst had a previous romantic relationship with a legislative affairs official for a different branch of the military, the Navy.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]
A Source Claimed That The End Of Ernst’s Relationship With The Navy Official Created Tension Between Their Offices And The Official’s Departure From His Post Was Partially Because Of The Relationship. According to ProPublica, “One source with knowledge of the situation said the relationship’s end created tension between Ernst’s office and the Navy legislative affairs office. Two sources said the Navy liaison was moved out of his post early. One of them said he was forced to depart his post earlier than expected because he had another romantic relationship with a Hill staffer and that Ernst was not cited by his boss when he was transferred. But the second source said senior officials were aware of the relationship with Ernst and that it played a role.” [ProPublica, 3/4/25]