House ethics panel reprimands Rep. Mike Kelly for wife’s stock purchase linked to steel company

Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican from Pennsylvania, received a formal reprimand from the House Ethics Committee. This reprimand concludes a lengthy investigation into allegations of insider trading involving his wife’s purchase of stock in a local steel company within his congressional district in Butler.

The House Ethics Committee urged both Rep. Mike Kelly and his wife, Victoria Kelly, to divest themselves of any holdings in the company, Cleveland-Cliffs, before the congressman engages in any further official actions related to it. Although the committee stated that there was no evidence that Kelly intentionally instructed his wife to engage in insider trading, it was unable to reach a definitive conclusion due to Mrs. Kelly’s lack of cooperation in the investigation.

The committee did not find a clear violation of conflict of interest; however, it did note that Representative Kelly’s failure to acknowledge the severity of the alleged misconduct and the investigation itself breached the code of official conduct. In response to the reprimand, Kelly expressed his desire to move forward and put this distraction behind him, along with his family.

Rep. Kelly highlighted the extensive duration of the investigation, which he deemed as unnecessarily protracted over nearly five years. During this period, the Cleveland Cliffs Butler Works plant faced a period of instability regarding its future. Kelly emphasized his dedication to advocating for the plant’s workers and the community of Butler, citing his efforts to preserve jobs and support the local economy.

The investigation stemmed from claims that Rep. Kelly’s wife had potentially acquired stock based on confidential information gained through his official duties. The Ethics Committee reviewed thousands of documents and interviewed various individuals, including the congressman. It was discovered that Kelly supported Section 232 tariffs for products manufactured by the plant, even when his wife possessed stock in Cleveland-Cliffs.

The committee concluded that Kelly took actions specifically aimed at benefiting Cleveland-Cliffs while his wife had a financial interest in the company. The reprimand issued by the House Ethics Committee serves as a formal acknowledgment of the congressman’s failure to adhere to the ethical standards expected of elected officials.