Republican Senator Joni Ernst closes reports, she had inappropriate romantic relationships with two military top officials who lobby her senate committee.
A report from the Air Force Inspector -General who carried out a study edited the names of women who worked on Capitol Hill who had relationships with Major General Christopher Finerty, but according to a report from Propublica, one of the women was the Iowa Senator.
The relationship raised serious ethical concerns, noted the report, because Ernst is in the Senate Committee for armed services that supervises the Pentagon, and she is one of the most powerful votes on the hill when it comes to the army.
Ernst's relationship with Finerty was confirmed by two sources with 'knowledge of the research' in Propublica.
The Propublica report also claimed that Ernst previously had a romantic relationship with an official of the legislative matters who worked for the navy. It mentioned three sources that were familiar with the relationship that took place around 2019.
Propublica noted that neither the senator nor the two officials were married at the time and the senate rules do not prohibit legislators from romantic relationships with lobbyists or lawyers.
“The fake news media are clearly too busy gossiping to report the real news that Senator Ernst is aimed at cutting waste at the Pentagon,” said a statement from her office.
'Her voice and work in the Senate are led by the voices of Iowans who have only chosen her and her constitutional duty. Every insinuation differently due to tabloid “journalism” is a defamatory lie – full stop, “it went on.
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IIWA) accused of romantic relationships with two military top officers who lobby the congress to raise ethical questions, according to a new report
“But ethical experts say that such relationships can create a conflict of interest, and other legislators have been criticized for such behavior in the past,” said Propublica report.
The senator's office refused to comment over the explanation of Propublica.
The report of 41 pages on the investigation of the Inspector General to Finerty was first completed in September 2023, but this year it was shared with the congress and the public in response to an archive application.
Retired Major Gen. Christopher Finerty
The investigation was started for the first time in response to a complaint filed in January 2023, accusing Finerty of 'unprofessional and inappropriate relationships with several women'.
Although much of the report and the names of the women were edited, it stated that witness and documented evidence as texts indicated that Finerty was involved in sexual, inappropriate or unprofessional relationships with five women. “
“The SMS messages contain explicit sexual content and photos with an intimate, cyber sexual relationship with a recruited member,” the report said.
The release of the report that the behavior of Finerty documented with the women was first reported by Poloo at the end of January.
In response to Propublica, Finerty's lawyer also published a statement, but refused to say whether he had a relationship with Ernst while lobbying for the Air Force.
“The IG report has not found any evidence that something suggests that remotely an interest conflict or inappropriate influence with regard to General Finerty and everyone on Capitol Hill,” said the statement.
'Furthermore, the IG report found no law, rule, policy or guidance forbidden the relationships of General Finerty. Every suggestion of the opposite would be defamatory, “it went on.
Ernst is the first female veteran in the Senate. The 54-year-old served in the Iowa Army National Guard during the war in Iraq and played a crucial role in the congress overview of the Pentagon and accusations of sexual misconduct in the army.
Just before the report was released, Ernst also played a crucial role in the senate confirmation of Pete Hegseeth as Minister of Defense after she had thrown her support behind the controversial nominated.
