A Washington-based ethics watchdog asked the Office of Congressional Ethics on Thursday to open an investigation into U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R- St. Elizabeth.
Campaign for Accountability, a Washington-based nonprofit ethics watchdog, asked the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate whether two U.S. senators and 12 U.S. representatives violated ethics rules after taking campaign donations from groups associated with payday lending companies.
A report compiled by Campaign for Accountability states Luetkemeyer received donations in September 2016 from two political action committees tied to payday lending companies 10 days before he sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau which expressed concern for new rules the agency proposed to reign in payday lenders.
The donations for $2,500 each came from FirstCash Inc. PAC, a PAC associated with payday lender First Cash Financial Services, and World Acceptance Corporation PAC, a PAC tied to payday lender World Finance.
On Sept. 30, 2016, one day after sending the letter, Luetkemeyer received a donation of $2,500 from the Community Financial Services Association of America, a PAC tied to a trade group that represents payday lenders, according to the group's report.
Campaign for Accountability Executive Director Daniel Stevens said in a news release that Luetkemeyer's behavior undermines institutions like Congress.
"It's no coincidence that Rep. Luetkemeyer fought for the payday lending industry's priorities while raising money from the industry at the same time," Stevens said.
Luetkemeyer's Communications Director Catherine Costakos declined to comment on the record.
Last week, Johnathan Ratliff, a spokesman for Luetkemeyer's 2018 congressional campaign, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch it's false that the congressman took actions based on campaign contributions.
"Dating back to his time in the Missouri state House, Congressman Luetkemeyer has consistently fought harmful regulations that block access to credit for all Missourians," Ratliff told the Post-Dispatch.
Campaign for Accountability asked the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and the Office of Congressional Ethics to open ethics investigations into 12 Republicans and two Democrats including Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania, and Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kansas.
Last week, a report by consumer watchdog group Allied Progress noted the payday lending industry has spent more than $13 million on campaign contributions to members of the House and Senate. The industry has spent more than $63.5 million lobbying Congress.
Allied Progress' report also notes Luetkemeyer received $5,000 in campaign contributions from PACs associated with payday lenders in 2011 before he voted to replace the CFPB's director with a five-member panel.
House rules state members, officers and staff members are forbidden from taking gifts from a registered lobbyist or agent. The rules define gifts broadly as "a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance or other item having monetary value."
Luetkemeyer, who sits on the House Financial Services Committee, has accepted $39,600 through the 2018 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics - the second-most of any congressional member behind Yoder.
Stevens said House rules allow members to receive campaign contributions from PACs as long as they do not make explicit promises to perform an action in exchange for the donation. To Stevens, though, the timing of Luetkemeyer's actions led the group to believe improper actions may have taken place.
Stevens said the group simply wants the matter looked into and for members to be held accountable in a fashion deemed proper by congressional ethics officers.
"You're not allowed to do something in exchange for money," Stevens said.