Panel To Investigate Campaign Violation Rep. Kim Admitted In Court To Breaking Finance Laws

The House ethics committee named a four-member panel Thursday to conduct its investigation into Rep. Jay Kim, R-Calif. , who pleaded guilty last August to campaign finance law violations.

Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, will head the investigation of whether Kim’s actions violated House standards of conduct. Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., will serve as the top Democrat on the panel, which also will include Reps. Ed Bryant, R-Tenn., and Robert C. Scott, D-Va.

The ethics committee decided last September to launch an investigation of the three-term congressman who represents a swath of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. The panel will report back to the full committee, which will then decide whether there is sufficient cause for Congress to take action against Kim.

Such action could include expulsion, reprimand or a fine.

A representative of Kim’s office said the congressman will “cooperate fully” with the ethics committee.

In an August plea agreement, Kim - the only Korean-American member of Congress - and his wife pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors: accepting a $50,000 donation from a Taiwanese national; taking an illegal $12,000 contribution from a New York corporation; and directing his own company, JayKim Engineers, to provide $83,000 in services to his campaign.

The Kims are scheduled for sentencing Jan. 14, where they face up to six months in prison and fines of $135,000. His campaign committee faces $2.5 million in fines for five felonies.

Kim’s campaign treasurer, Seokuk Ma, previously pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of making and receiving illegal campaign contributions. In November, he was sentenced to five years’ probation, fined $12,000 and ordered to perform 2,500 hours of community service.