Wheeler asks for inquiry into the basis of Higgs's pay
David B. WheelerEthics complainant and American Muckrakers co-founder
Wheeler said Higgs's pay would violate the House rule if it reflected a family relationship rather than her duties. He asked the committee to determine her marital status and the basis for her raises.
“If that pay is tied to a family relationship rather than to the duties, it violates the House rule”
Original text
Where this statement fits
Did Lauren Boebert have prohibited relationships with staff or misuse official or campaign funds?
David B. Wheeler publicly released a complaint dated September 17, 2026 alleging that Rep. Lauren Boebert had prohibited relationships with supervised employees and misused official or campaign funds. Former district director Clarice Navarro Ratzlaff denied the allegations involving her. Boebert denied inappropriate or sexual relationships with staff, and an unnamed representative rejected the complaint's allegations more broadly. The House Ethics Committee has not publicly confirmed accepting or investigating the submission, which falls within its 60-day preelection complaint window.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
Wheeler describes allegations he says he added to his complaint. He expressly says he does not know whether Higgs and Dylan Boebert are married. The publication verifies his account and requests for inquiry; it does not establish the allegations or House committee acceptance.
Before the quotation
Wheeler expressly said he did not know whether Higgs and Dylan Boebert were married. He then raised a separate question about whether staff pay matched the work performed.
After the quotation
The sentence continues that the House-rule concern would apply regardless of a marriage license. Wheeler asks the committee to determine marital status and the basis for each raise.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The quoted statement alleges a violation only if pay was tied to a family relationship instead of work. It raises a condition for inquiry rather than establishing improper payments.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Lauren Boebert
More from this case
Read the full caseDavid B. Wheeler says he committed no crime and calls Boebert's perjury accusation a threat dressed up as a press release
“Boebert didn't answer the records. She answered by accusing me of a crime. Her official House press release was published on a taxpayer-funded government website says I "likely committed perjury and broke a federal law." Read that again: a sitting member of Congress used her official office to accuse a private citizen of a federal crime, in writing, on a .gov domain paid for by the public. I committed no crime. My complaint is sworn under 28 U.S.C. § 1746, the standard federal perjury exposure for a false statement, and it asks the Ethics Committee to do its job and investigate. That's not a rebuttal. That's a threat dressed up as a press release.”Read statement
David B. Wheeler says his Boebert complaint is built on House disbursement records, FEC filings, text messages and named sources who gave written statements
“On September 17, I filed a sworn ethics complaint against Rep. Lauren Boebert with the House Ethics Committee. It isn't built on rumor. It's built on House disbursement records, FEC filings, text messages, and named sources who gave written statements.”Read statement
Jace Ratzlaff says he was not a source for the Boebert ethics complaint and that he took a polygraph test
“I voluntarily submitted to a polygraph examination because I wanted there to be no ambiguity about my lack of involvement”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Wheeler asks for inquiry into the basis of Higgs's pay
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/5268-wheeler-said-higgs-s-pay-would-violate-the
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Wheeler asks for inquiry into the basis of Higgs's pay". First published: 2026-10-09. Last updated: 2026-10-09. https://disputeindex.com/events/5268-wheeler-said-higgs-s-pay-would-violate-the