WASHINGTON _ The House Ethics Committee announced on Tuesday it was looking into an inquiry against Rep. Mark Meadows.
The inquiry is one that was referred by the Office of Congressional Ethics, and that agency's investigation of Meadows will be made public by Aug. 17.
A spokesman for Meadows said the North Carolina Republican also asked the committee himself to look into whether severance payments he made last year to a former chief of staff violated House rules.
Meadows' inquiry came two months after a conservative-leaning watchdog group asked the ethics office to investigate lump sum payments made to a staffer who no longer worked for the lawmaker for three months. The spokesman said the chief of staff was let go due to allegations that involved his conduct.
The spokesman said Meadows is cooperating with the Ethics Committee's investigation and that he was not aware severance pay violated House rules.
The announcement by the Ethics Committee was delayed due to rules that require it to postpone reporting ethics office referrals within 60 days before an election. North Carolina's primary was June 6.
