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Draft ethics complaint targets Ro Khanna over trades, disclosures
Filing cites stock trades, late disclosures, and donor links; seeks review by House Ethics, DOJ, and FEC.
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Malvika Choudhary - Tue, 05, May 2026
- 17:27 EDT
- 34
Congressman Ro Khanna / Wikimedia commons
A 239-page draft complaint was prepared for submission to the Office of Congressional Conduct seeking an investigation into Rep. Ro Khanna, alleging potential violations of congressional ethics rules, financial disclosure laws, and federal securities statutes.
The document, drafted by Kevin Bass and dated April 23, calls for referral to the House Committee on Ethics and further review by the Department of Justice and the Federal Election Commission. It is described as a signed draft that had not yet been physically transmitted at the time of writing.
In a public statement, Bass said he conducted a comprehensive audit of publicly available records and alleged “shocking ethical lapses and potentially criminal behavior.” He added that the complaint includes 30 exhibits and that “the factual basis of every single specific claim… is fully verifiable and reproducible.”
Also Read: Khanna goes to war with Hegseth over Iran costs
I have conducted the most comprehensive public records audit of any Congressman in the history of the United States.
— Kevin Bass (@kevinnbass) May 5, 2026
That audit was conducted on Congressman @RoKhanna.
This audit has exposed shocking ethical lapses and potentially criminal behavior by Congressman Khanna.
I am… pic.twitter.com/9suNKaNRta
The complaint alleges a pattern of stock trading by Khanna’s household across sectors tied to congressional oversight, including defense and healthcare, alongside repeated late disclosures under the STOCK Act, which requires lawmakers and their immediate families to report trades within 45 days.
It cites hundreds of late filings and claims trading activity occurred around legislative votes, regulatory actions, and corporate disclosures.
According to the filing, most trades were reported under the names of Khanna’s spouse or dependent child and were executed through family trusts rather than a qualified blind trust. The document questions whether such arrangements comply with congressional ethics standards designed to prevent conflicts of interest.
The complaint further raises concerns about trading in defense contractors ahead of major defense legislation and in pharmaceutical companies near federal drug policy decisions.
It also flags patterns of transactions occurring on the same day as corporate filings or insider trades, as well as campaign contributions from individuals identified as former government officials now working as lobbyists.
In addition, the filing questions financial disclosures related to a family charitable foundation and a reported mortgage tied to a property that does not appear in asset filings, and seeks civil penalties, disgorgement of profits, and the establishment of a qualified blind trust.
Separately, Ethan Agarwal, a candidate challenging Khanna in California’s 17th district, alleged in a public post that the congressman engaged in intimidation tactics during the campaign, including threats related to endorsements and access to events. He also referenced ethics complaints filed against Khanna. Those claims have not been independently verified.
Mail in ballots came out yesterday.
— Agarwal for Congress (@ethanagarwal) May 5, 2026
Before you vote,
let's to take a moment and highlight the behavior of @RoKhanna in the two months we've launched this campaign:
1. Threatened to revoke the non-profit status of an organization if they switched their endorsement to me
2.… https://t.co/FiIPX60Ydz
Khanna, who has represented Silicon Valley since 2017 and serves on the House Armed Services Committee, has not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the draft complaint.
There is no indication that the Office of Congressional Conduct has opened a formal investigation. Under House procedures, complaints undergo a preliminary review before any referral to the Ethics Committee.
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