A Democratic political action committee and advocacy group alleged in a complaint to congressional ethics officials that Rep. Rob Bresnahan potentially violated federal law by failing to publicly disclose details of a private helicopter as part of his latest personal financial disclosure report to Congress.
Bresnahan’s legal counsel dismissed the allegation as “incorrect” and a “lie.”
The group, End Citizens United, is asking the independent, nonpartisan Office of Congressional Conduct to “immediately investigate” Bresnahan, a freshman Republican from Pennsylvania, for not expressly listing the helicopter when he filed his public 2024 financial disclosures last week, according to a complaint obtained by NOTUS on Wednesday.
End Citizens United also asked the office to determine whether Bresnahan has used his helicopter for political campaign purposes — something that would generally necessitate publicly reporting any trips as in-kind campaign contributions.
Trending
In an email to NOTUS, Bresnahan’s legal counsel, Jessica Furst Johnson, said that because the helicopter is a “business asset” of RPB Ventures LLC — a limited liability company that Bresnahan owns — “it is defamatory and an egregious lie to allege that Congressman Bresnahan violated federal law by failing to disclose an asset he does not personally own.”
Johnson added: “While the media would prefer that every personal detail of the congressman’s entire life story be splayed across the personal financial statement for all to tear apart and question, that’s simply not the purpose of the document. Personal financial statements filed by members of Congress and candidates are not intended to cover every detail of a person’s financial picture, or the businesses which they own.”
The House Committee on Ethics’ current guidance for members of Congress states that disclosing the underlying assets of a privately held business entity is optional.
“It is not necessary to provide an itemized list of the assets of the business. You are only required to disclose the total value of your interest in the business and not such items as office equipment,” the guidance states.
NOTUS first reported the existence of Bresnahan’s 2024 Robinson R66 helicopter, which Bresnahan’s office confirmed he purchased last year through his LLC. The model of Bresnahan’s helicopter retails for between $1 million and $1.5 million.
The helicopter has made more than two dozen flights originating from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area in the heart of Bresnahan’s Pennsylvania District 8, among the state’s poorest, according to a NOTUS analysis of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data, which in part helps air traffic controllers determine the location of aircraft.
Several trips took the helicopter outside of Pennsylvania to New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island, the data indicate.
Bresnahan appears to have made efforts to conceal his helicopter purchase and usage. For example, when searching the comings and goings of Bresnahan’s helicopter on popular flight tracking website FlightAware, users are met with the message: “This aircraft (N422RB) is not available for public tracking per request from the owner/operator.”
Bresnahan’s office previously declined to answer a series of NOTUS questions about the congressman’s helicopter, including questions about the helicopter’s specific destinations.
In a statement to NOTUS earlier this month, spokesperson Hannah Pope said Bresnahan bought the helicopter with the intention of using the aircraft for business purposes.
“In emergency situations such as downed power lines or washed-out roads, helicopters play a critical role in inspecting infrastructure and identifying areas in need of urgent repair,” Pope said. “His goal was to work toward a commercial pilot certificate with a rotorcraft-helicopter rating and use the aircraft to provide emergency response and inspection services that help keep seniors warm, hospitals powered, and schools open.”
Pope continued: “Since being elected to Congress, those business plans have been put on hold. No taxpayer or campaign funds were used to purchase the aircraft, and no taxpayer or campaign funds are used to store, operate, or maintain the aircraft.”
The Office of Congressional Conduct, until recently known as the Office of Congressional Ethics, is empowered to investigate any alleged legal and House rules violations. The office just recently regained its powers to do so, after having gone several months without enough board members required to conduct high-level business.
Nevertheless, its reach remains limited. While it may investigate matters, publish its findings and make recommendations to the lawmaker-led House Committee on Ethics, it lacks power to itself punish members of Congress and congressional staffers.
Omar Ashmawy, chief counsel of the Office of Congressional Conduct, declined to comment Wednesday.
Bresnahan is “showing clear patterns of shady and corrupt behavior,” End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller told NOTUS in accusing the congressman of “hiding a million-dollar helicopter” and “becoming one of the most prolific stock traders in Congress.”
Said Johnson, Bresnahan’s legal counsel: “Congressman Bresnahan has operated, and will continue to operate, in full compliance with all applicable federal campaign finance and ethics laws.”
Author
