South Bay Congressman Honda Sets Up Fund To Pay For Ethics Probe

SAN JOSE (CBS/AP) -- Democratic Rep. Mike Honda has quietly set up a fund dedicated to collecting money to pay bills related to an ethics probe.

Honda is under investigation to determine whether his office violated House rules that prohibit politicians from using taxpayer funds that pay for office staff for campaign purposes.

The San Jose Mercury News reports Sunday the San Jose Democrat set up the fund after taking more than $200,000 out of his campaign war chest last year to pay for legal help.

Honda is locked in a close race against repeat Democratic challenger Ro Khanna.

The Office of Congressional Ethics says in a report released last year that Honda's office staffers doubling as campaign volunteers prepared campaign materials, used information from the congressional office for campaign purposes and regularly discussed campaign matters at official staff retreats.

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