- An ethics watchdog group, FACT, has filed a complaint alleging that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse voted for federal funding benefiting an organization linked to his wife, Sandra Whitehouse. She has allegedly worked with the environmentalist Ocean Conservancy group since 2008.
- The complaint states that Ocean Conservancy has received $14.2 million in government funding during her time there, with nearly half awarded in late 2024.
- Sen. Whitehouse has denied the allegations, calling them a “dark money smear campaign.” The Senate Ethics Committee has not yet responded to the latest complaint.
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An ethics watchdog group is calling for an investigation into Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, R.I., over concerns that he violated Senate ethics rules on conflicts of interest. The allegations stem from his votes to pass federal funding measures, some of which benefited an environmentalist organization, which his wife, Sandra Whitehouse, allegedly works for.
This is not the first time an ethics group has called for an investigation into the matter. The Senate Ethics Committee denied a previous request. In response to the latest allegations, Sen. Whitehouse dismissed them, calling them a smear campaign.
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Recent complaint by FACT
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) recently posted on X, stating, “For years, Sen. Whitehouse’s wife has been employed by organizations getting millions of taxpayer dollars in grants. These circular relationships between elected officials, their spouses, lobby groups & NGOs need to be closely scrutinized.”
COMPLAINT FILED: For years Sen. Whitehouse's wife has been employed by organizations getting millions of taxpayer-dollars in grants. These circular relationships between elected officials, their spouses, lobby groups & NGO's need to be closely scrutinized.https://t.co/2GWN3QhSp9
— FACT DC (@factdc) February 25, 2025
The complaint asserts that Sen. Whitehouse’s wife has worked for the advocacy group Ocean Conservancy since 2008. Since then, Ocean Conservancy has received 19 government grants totaling approximately $14.2 million. Nearly half of that amount was awarded in the fall of 2024, all of which Sen. Whitehouse directly voted for.
Sandra Whitehouse’s ties to Ocean Conservancy
According to Sandra Whitehouse’s LinkedIn profile, she is the president of Ocean Wonks, an ocean conservation firm. She has also been listed as a senior policy advisor for Ocean Conservancy since 2008.
Citing tax documents, FACT states that Sandra Whitehouse has been paid $2.6 million either directly by Ocean Conservancy or indirectly through Ocean Wonks.
However, while Ocean Conservancy has received over $14 million in federal grants since 2008, the organization has stated that her salary did not come from those funds.
In a statement, the group said, “Dr. Sandra Whitehouse, a well-respected marine ecologist and ocean policy consultant, has not received compensation from these federal grants allocated to Ocean Conservancy.”
Previous complaints and Senate Ethics Committee response
Judicial Watch, a self-described conservative watchdog group, filed a similar complaint last year. The Senate Ethics Committee declined to pursue that investigation, concluding that Sen. Whitehouse did not violate any rules.
FACT has been described as a conservative organization based on its funding sources and focus areas. However, it identifies as nonpartisan, and its previous whistleblowing led to the conviction of a Republican congressional candidate, H. Russell Taub, in Rhode Island for FEC violations.
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Sen. Whitehouse responds
Sen. Whitehouse’s office released a statement to WPRI News, refuting claims of a conflict of interest.
“This is a repeat dark money performance, and the previous attempt by a dark money group to plant these same smears was roundly dismissed by Senate Ethics,” the statement read.
The senator added that he expects the new complaint to be dismissed in the same manner, according to WPRI. The Senate Ethics Committee has not yet commented on the latest complaint. The committee has six members, evenly split between three Republicans and three Democrats.
[Karah Rucker]
AN ETHICS WATCHDOG GROUP IS CALLING FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SHELDON WHITEHOUSE –
OVER CONCERNS HE VIOLATED SENATE ETHICS RULES ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST –
WHEN HE VOTED TO PASS FEDERAL FUNDING MEASURES –
SOME OF WHICH BENEFITED AN ENVIRONMENTALIST ORGANIZATION CONNECTED TO HIS WIFE.
THIS ISN’T THE FIRST ETHICS GROUP TO CALL FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER.
BUT THE SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE DENIED THE PRIOR REQUEST.
AND SENATOR WHITEHOUSE IS RESPONDING TO THE LATEST ROUND OF ALLEGATIONS –
CALLING IT A SMEAR CAMPAIGN.
HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW.
LET’S START WITH THE MOST RECENT COMPLAINT.
“THE FOUNDATION FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND CIVIC TRUST” – OR “FACT” –
POSTED ON X – For years Sen. Whitehouse’s wife has been employed by organizations getting millions of taxpayer-dollars in grants. These circular relationships between elected officials, their spouses, lobby groups & NGO’s need to be closely scrutinized.”
THE COMPLAINT STATES –
Senator Whitehouse’s wife, Sandra Whitehouse, has worked for the advocacy group Ocean Conservancy since 2008.
Since 2008, Ocean Conservancy has been awarded nineteen government grants worth approximately $14.2 million. nearly half of this $14 million was given to the group in the fall of 2024 alone—all of which Senator Whitehouse directly voted for.”
ACCORDING TO SANDRA WHITEHOUSE’S LINKED IN PAGE – UNDER “EXPERIENCE” –
SHE IS PRESIDENT OF “OCEAN WONKS” – AN OCEAN CONSERVATION FIRM.
WHITEHOUSE IS ALSO LISTED AS A SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR FOR OCEAN CONSERVANCY – FROM 2008 TO “PRESENT.”
THE ETHICS GROUP “FACT” – CITING TAX DOCUMENTS – SAYS WHITEHOUSE HAS BEEN PAID NEARLY 3 MILLION DOLLARS EITHER DIRECTLY BY OCEAN CONSERVANCY AND INDIRECTLY THROUGH HER FIRM “OCEAN WONKS”.
AND WHILE OCEAN CONSERVANCY HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 14 MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL GRANTS SINCE 2008 –
THE GROUP SAYS WHITEHOUSE’S SALARY – DIDN’T COME FROM THAT POOL OF MONEY.
IN A STATEMENT – THE GROUP SAID –
“Dr. Sandra Whitehouse, a well-respected marine ecologist and ocean policy consultant, has not received compensation from these federal grants allocated to Ocean Conservancy.”
A SIMILAR COMPLAINT WAS FILED LAST YEAR A SELF-DESCRIBED “CONSERVATIVE” WATCHDOG GROUP JUDICIAL WATCH.
THE SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE DECLINED TO TAKE UP **THAT INVESTIGATION –
CONCLUDING THAT THE SENATOR DIDN’T VIOLATE ANY RULES.
“FACT” – HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A CONSERVATIVE GROUP – BASED ON WHERE IT RECEIVES FUNDING AND WHAT ISSUES IT LARGELY SPOTLIGHTS.
HOWEVER IT DESCRIBES ITSELF AS NONPARTISAN –
AND HAS PREVIOUSLY OUSTED A FORMER REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE IN RHODE ISLAND OVER FEC VIOLATIONS IT BROUGHT TO LIGHT – WHICH LED TO THAT CANDIDATE SERVING JAIL TIME.
SENATOR WHITEHOUSE’S OFFICE RELEASED A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO FACT’S COMPLAINT –
REFUTING CLAIMS OF A “CONFLICT OF INTEREST” – STATING
“This is a repeat dark money performance, and the previous attempt by a dark money group to plant these same smears was roundly dismissed by Senate Ethics.” –
AND SAID THE NEW COMPLAINT WOULD END IN THE SAME WAY.
THE SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE HAS NOT YET COMMENTED ON THIS LATEST COMPLAINT.
THE COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF 6 MEMBERS –
3 REPUBLICANS AND 3 DEMOCRATS.
THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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