What are Legal Expense Funds?
Legal expense funds are established to assist Members when;

"the legal expenses arise in connection with: the individual's candidacy for or election to federal office; the individual's official duties or position in Congress (including legal expenses incurred in connection with an amicus brief file in a Member's official capacity, a civil action by a Member challenging the validity of a law or federal regulation, or a matter before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct); a criminal prosecution; or a civil matter bearing on the individual's reputation or fitness for office."

–Memorandum to Members from the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, June 10, 1996

A legal expense fund is set up as a trust and is administered by an independent trustee who oversees fund­raising. Trust funds and quarterly reports of trust funds approved by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct are filed with the Clerk 1 week after approval by the committee, for the current Congress and the previous two Congresses.

Public disclosure documents filed with the Clerk are available from:

Legislative Resource Center
B-106 Cannon House Office Building
Washington DC, 20515-6612
Phone: (202) 226-5200
Office Hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm