Report Details Gooden’s Travel Costs

The Office of Congressional Conduct has reported that U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden incurred $140,000 in travel reimbursements in 2025, the highest amount for any House member.

The report, made public on Monday, states there is substantial reason to believe the Terrell Republican engaged in improprieties. Investigators found a pattern of extravagant expenditures that appear inconsistent with his official duties.

Gooden is the first member of Texas congressional delegation to face this specific finding from the OCC in recent years. He won his fifth term in Congress last week, defeating Chelsey Hockett by three percentage points.

The OCC identified several specific issues in Gooden’s spending habits. The report notes that he frequently stayed at luxury hotels where the cost per visit exceeded $1,000. His staff almost exclusively used business or first-class travel, which carries strict eligibility guidelines for reimbursement under House rules.

Additional concerns arose from the use of accounts in the name of Gooden’s wife. The OCC stated this practice allowed for the accumulation of private rewards and benefits from official funds, which House rules prohibit.

Beyond travel, the office found discrepancies in campaign spending. Federal Election Commission data showed that itemized values for disbursements often did not match the total amounts charged. For nearly every listed disbursement, the detailed entries failed to account for the full cost.

Gooden and his staff declined to cooperate with the OCC investigation. In a June response, counsel for Gooden argued that the scope of materials requested was unreasonably burdensome. They also stated that the team would have provided responses if the OCC had shared specific theories or concerns.

Because of the lack of cooperation, the OCC could not determine whether the expenses complied with House rules. The report notes that without Gooden’s input, the office was limited in its ability to verify the legitimacy of the spending.

The OCC referred its findings to the House Ethics Committee in June. That committee announced Monday that it is extending its review. The panel includes five members from each party, such as Reps. Nathaniel Moran, R-Tyler, and Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston.

Other Texas lawmakers have also faced scrutiny. Reps. Wesley Hunt, R-Houston, and Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, were cleared by the committee. Rep. Troy Nehls has a case where no findings have been made public since the OCC’s 2024 report.

Gooden reacted to the news with a statement calling the referral bogus. He said, “There’s a reason the Senate doesn’t have an OCC, because of insane, bogus referrals like this one.” He added that the Ethics Committee will expose this witch hunt.

Gooden is calling on House Administration to launch an oversight investigation into the OCC’s target selection and its record of failed inquiries. His counsel wrote in June that Gooden remains fully committed to transparency. They said he looks forward to working cooperatively with the Committee on Ethics to provide context and documentation to resolve outstanding questions.