The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Paul Broun’s House ethics probe could return if he wins in November

Meredith McGehee, the policy director for the Campaign Legal Center, said the discretion would lie with the 10 lawmakers on the House Ethics Committee, the membership of which is split evenly by Republicans and Democrats and is supposed to act in a nonpartisan manner. She said the panel, however, is often hesitant to move forward on investigations of its House colleagues.

“They have this sense that people who live in glass houses don’t throw stones,” she said. “There is almost always a preference that the person in question find a way to get out of Congress.”

McGehee, from the Campaign Legal Center, said Broun’s case would be an important one for the Ethics Committee to consider since it would be “precedent-setting.” Regardless, she said she expects that if the panel finds grounds for wrongdoing, the most severe punishment it would dole out — if one at all — would be akin to a “slap on the wrist.”

“I think more than likely what you would simply see is the Ethics Committee saying this is improper and either he should repay the cost or don’t do this again,” she said.

To read the full story at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, click here.