Ethics Panel: No Action Against Rep. Barbara Lee In Abortion Protest

OAKLAND, CA — The House Ethics Committee will not pursue further action against the 17 Democratic lawmakers, including California U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, who were arrested by Capitol Police for blocking traffic outside the U.S. Supreme Court while protesting for abortion access.

As Washington, D.C. Patch previously reported, high-profile Democrats such as Lee and fellow Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, were among 35 people arrested for crowding, obstructing or incommoding, police said.

On Friday afternoon, the House Ethics committee said it convened Wednesday to consider the arrests.

"Each of the arrested Members informed the Committee they have paid or intend to pay the $50 fines related to their arrests. The legal proceedings related to the arrests are expected to be resolved with no further action," the committee said.

The panel said it voted against impanelling an investigative subcommittee on the matter

"The Committee considered the scope and nature of the conduct described above and determined that review by an investigative subcommittee is not required in this matter," the committee said, adding it will "take no further action," and "considers the matter closed."

Lee has represented California's 13th District since 1998. She is the highest ranking African American woman in Democratic Leadership, serving as co-chair of the Policy and Steering Committee. She also serves on the Budget Committee and the powerful Appropriations Committee, which oversees all federal government spending.

The 13th district includes Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Oakland, Piedmont and San Leandro.

Here are the representatives who were arrested:

• Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina
• Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri
• Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts
• Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania
• Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas
• Rep. Sara Jacobs of California
• Rep. Barbara Lee of California
• Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan
• Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York
• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
• Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
• Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
• Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois
• Rep. Jackie Speier of California
• Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan
• Rep. Nydia Velázquez of New York
• Bonnie Watson of New Jersey.