[House Report 119-693]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
House Calendar No. 80
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-693
_______________________________________________________________________
CONTEMPT REPORT RELATED TO THE
CONDUCT OF MICHAEL JOSEPH
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON ETHICS
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June 10, 2026.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to
be printed
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
69-006 WASHINGTON : 2026
COMMITTEE ON ETHICS
MICHAEL GUEST, Mississippi MARK DESAULNIER, California
Chairman Ranking Member
ANDREW R. GARBARINO, New York DEBORAH K. ROSS, North Carolina
ASHLEY HINSON, Iowa GLENN F. IVEY, Maryland
NATHANIEL MORAN, Texas SYLVIA R. GARCIA, Texas
BRAD KNOTT, North Carolina SUHAS SUBRAMANYAM, Virginia
REPORT STAFF
Thomas A. Rust, Chief Counsel/Staff Director
Brittney Pescatore, Director of Investigations
Jordan Downs, Chief of Staff to the Chairman
David Arrojo, Counsel to the Ranking Member
Sydney R. Bellwoar, Senior Counsel
Jennifer Seeba, Counsel
Ray Rhatican, Counsel
Peyton Wilmer, Senior Investigative Clerk(ii)
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
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House of Representatives,
Committee on Ethics,
Washington DC, June 10, 2026.
Hon. Kevin F. McCumber,
Clerk, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. McCumber: Pursuant to House rule XI, clauses
2(m)(1)(B) and 3(o)(1), House Rule XIII, clause 2(b)(1), and
Rules 19(c)(3) and 26(n) of the Rules of the Committee on
Ethics, we hereby submit to the House a resolution and an
accompanying report, ``Contempt Report Related to the Conduct
of Michael Joseph.''
Sincerely,
Michael Guest,
Chairman.
Mark DeSaulnier,
Ranking Member.
C O N T E N T S
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Page
I. INTRODUCTION......................................................1
II. FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON ETHICS...............................1
III.STATEMENT UNDER HOUSE RULE XIII CLAUSE 3(C).......................2
APPENDIX A: Report of the Investigative Subcommittee............. 3
House Calendar No. 80
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-693
=======================================================================
CONTEMPT REPORT RELATED TO THE
CONDUCT OF MICHAEL JOSEPH
----------------
June 10, 2026
----------------
Mr. Guest, from the Committee on Ethics,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
The Committee on Ethics (Committee) submits this report
pursuant to House rule XI, clauses 2(m)(1)(B) and 3(o)(1),
House rule XIII, clause 2(b)(1), and Rules 19(c)(3) and 26(n)
of the Rules of the Committee on Ethics.
I. INTRODUCTION
On May 13, 2026, the Committee considered the Report of the
Investigative Subcommittee (ISC) related to the conduct of
Michael Joseph, which the ISC unanimously adopted on March 18,
2026. The ISC was impaneled to investigate allegations
concerning Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and, in
the course of its investigation, sought documents and testimony
from Mr. Joseph. Mr. Joseph failed to comply with multiple
subpoenas in the 118th and 119th Congresses. Accordingly, the
Committee hereby adopts and incorporates by reference the ISC's
Report.
II. FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON ETHICS
The Committee reviewed the Report transmitted by the ISC
regarding Mr. Joseph's conduct and found that Mr. Joseph
willfully failed to comply with multiple subpoenas issued by
the Committee, impeding the ISC's investigation into the
allegations concerning Representative Cherfilus-McCormick. The
Committee agrees with the ISC's conclusion that Mr. Joseph's
conduct is ``egregious and warrants referral to the U.S.
Department of Justice for contempt of Congress.''\1\
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\1\ISC Report at 11.
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The Committee on Ethics, having considered this report,
reports favorably thereon and recommends that the report be
approved. The form of Resolution that the Committee would
recommend to the House of Representatives for citing Michael
Joseph for contempt of Congress pursuant to this Report is as
follows:
House Resolution
Resolved, That Michael Joseph shall be found to be in
contempt of Congress for failure to comply with the subpoena
duces tecum issued to him on September 11, 2025.
Resolved, That Michael Joseph shall be found to be in
contempt of Congress for failure to comply with the subpoena ad
testificandum issued to him on September 11, 2025.
Resolved, That pursuant to 2 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 192 and 194,
the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall certify the
Report of the Committee on Ethics, detailing the refusal of
Michael Joseph to produce documents and appear before the
Investigative Subcommittee as directed by these subpoenas, to
the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, to the
end that Mr. Joseph be proceeded against in the manner and form
provided by law.
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House shall otherwise
take all appropriate action to enforce the subpoenas.
III. STATEMENT UNDER HOUSE RULE XIII CLAUSE 3(c)
The Committee made no special oversight findings in this
Report. No budget statement is submitted. No funding is
authorized by any measure in this Report.
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