House Check Investigation Committee to Begin Work Thursday

The Wyoming House special committee tasked with investigating the distribution of campaign checks to lawmakers on the House floor will convene its first public hearing Thursday afternoon, launching what could be a pivotal inquiry into legislative ethics.

The House Special Investigative Committee will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday in the Capitol’s Historic Supreme Court chambers. The proceedings will be streamed on the Legislature’s YouTube channel. Multiple lawmakers are expected to testify, and the committee has already sent out at least some requests for appearances.

The investigation stems from a Feb. 9 incident in which conservative Jackson activist Rebecca Bextel was photographed handing campaign checks to lawmakers on the House floor after adjournment on the session’s first day. Bextel, who has denied wrongdoing, hand-delivered the checks on behalf of Teton County donor Don Grasso, who told reporters the checks were intended for 10 Republicans with ties to the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.

Those named include House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett; Reps. John Bear, R-Gillette; Marlene Brady, R-Green River; Gary Brown, R-Cheyenne; Christopher Knapp, R-Gillette; Tony Locke, R-Casper; Darin McCann, R-Rock Springs; Joe Webb, R-Lyman; Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper; and former lawmaker Mark Jennings.

So far, four lawmakers have publicly confirmed receiving checks, including Neiman. On the House floor last week, Neiman sought to preemptively clear himself and other recipients. “I’ll go to my grave knowing I didn’t do anything wrong. Not a thing,” he said. “There’s not a legislator in this House that did anything wrong.”

Neiman disclosed that Bextel handed him a $1,500 check in his speaker’s office on the session’s first day. She had called him in January to say a Teton County donor wished to support his campaign, he said. He welcomed it.

The motion creating the investigative committee gave Neiman the authority to appoint its six members and chairman. Neiman acknowledged the awkward position: “And do you understand the difficulty I’m in? Because now I’m charged because of that motion, as speaker, I had to pick the committee to investigate me.”

Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper, a retired police officer, chairs the committee. He had recommended delaying the legislative probe to avoid interfering with a separate criminal investigation launched by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office. The House voted 37-21 against that delay.

The committee has authority to administer oaths, compel witness attendance and demand documents. Witnesses may be represented by counsel. The motion requires the committee to report findings and a final recommendation to the House no later than four legislative days after it convenes.

Washut told WyoFile the clock will start after the committee’s final meeting. He said several witnesses will testify Thursday but didn’t expect a late night: “It does not serve a purpose to exhaust everybody.”