House Ethics Committee probes Republican Rep. Lance Gooden

House Ethics Committee Investigates Texas Republican Lance Gooden

The House Ethics Committee is investigating Texas Republican Representative Lance Gooden, though the scope of the probe remains unclear at this time.

The committee stated it received a referral from the Office of Congressional Conduct last month.

"The Committee notes that the mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee," the committee said in a statement.

Gooden has represented Texas's 5th district for seven years and has been a consistent ally to President Trump throughout his tenure. In 2020, he joined 146 other Republicans in voting to overturn the presidential election results, and he voted against Trump's impeachment following the January 6 insurrection.

"These are bogus spending allegations perpetrated by dishonest unelected OCC bureaucrats, and as the fifth Texas GOP ally of the President to endure one of these attacks," Gooden told Fox News's Liz Elkind. "I am confident the House Ethics Committee will confirm their baseless nature."

A complaint against Gooden was filed with the Office of Congressional Ethics in 2021, alleging that he "purchased 12 assets with a total value ranging from approximately $60,019 and $376,000 without disclosing the transactions" in 2020. While notable, it may or may not be related to the current probe.

Gooden is the second Texas Republican to face a House Ethics investigation this year, following former Representative Tony Gonzales, who was accused of having an affair with an ex-staffer who set herself on fire after he ended the relationship and hurt her career. Gonzales resigned in April.

This story has been updated.

Senate GOP Issues Messaging Guidance on Trump Agenda

The Senate GOP is offering new guidance to party lawmakers on how to rhetorically navigate Donald Trump's second-term agenda amid public backlash.

Internal party messaging reviewed Monday by Politico indicates that Republican leadership is still working to salvage public perception of the president on issues ranging from the Iran conflict to the SAVE America Act.

"On Iran, directly connect the President's negotiations and strikes to keeping the Strait open and keeping prices low," one line item read, according to Politico reporter Jordain Carney.

The internal memo also warned Republicans that the "media will try to divide Republicans by asking your boss to pick a 'side' in any given question."

"It's crucial to reject these false choices. Reject the false choice between the President and Senate leaders: Express support for both," the memo reads.

The memo advised Republicans on how to handle the ongoing tension between Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who last week snapped at White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for suggesting that the president was "running out" of patience with the conservative senator's inability to push the SAVE Act through the upper chamber.

Offering potential responses to the press, the memo suggests that Republicans nonetheless claim that Trump and Thune are "united and doing an excellent job." It also recommends that Republicans assert the duo have made American life "affordable" and have worked together to make Americans "safer by closing our border, deporting violent criminals (Laken Riley Act), cracking down on fentanyl, and strengthening our military."

"And we all agree that we have to defeat the radical Democrat socialists, who are threatening to undo our progress," it added.

Meanwhile, the White House appears content with quietly advising midterm-bound Republicans to distance themselves from the president's talking points as his popularity declines.

"The understanding is pretty damn implicit: The president is going to say what the president is going to say," a Republican operative working on the party's midterm races told MS NOW.

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