Watchdog calls for House investigation into Debbie Wasserman Schultz IT staffer

A non-partisan ethics watchdog group is calling for a House investigation into an IT staffer working for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) who was arrested last week trying to leave the country.

Imran Awan was arrested at Washington Dulles International Airport as he tried to fly to Pakistan.  Awan was arrested and charged with bank fraud.

The investigation began earlier this year.  In February, Awan was banned from accessing the House computer system.  At the time, Awan worked for several Democrat members of Congress.

Within days, all but Wasserman Schultz had fired him.  Awan wasn’t fired by Wasserman Schultz until the day he was arrested.

Now, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust has filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics.

The group’s executive director says he wants answers.  “What was he doing if he couldn’t work on the IT system, since he was barred from accessing it,” asked Matt Whitaker.

Whitaker says he thinks it will be a very simple investigation.

“This looked like a kind of classic example of where an employee was in a member of Congress’s office, in this case, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and that employee was not doing any work,” said Whitaker.

From here, the Office of Congressional Ethics can recommend the case to a House committee which could force Wasserman Schultz to testify under oath.

“I hope the congresswoman is truthful when she’s interviewed on this, and others in her office, to really explain why it appears taxpayer money was wasted,” said Whitaker.