the committee chairman to appear to present his bill under rules and procedures that minorities in both parties have often denounced when out of power in the House, as Boyer did when recognized in this instance. On November 3, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported that Richardson would face an ethics inquiry related to possible illegal use of staffers. On November 4, 2011, Richardson claimed that the House Ethics Committee, composed of five members from the Democratic Party and five members from Republican Party, singled her out for investigation because she is African-American. The Ethics Committee leaders did announce that the vote to establish a four-member investigative subcommittee was unanimous. Decisions of House committee and full House On August 1, 2012, the House Ethics Committee issued its report about accusations of improper use of staff. It found that Richardson had broken federal law, violated House rules and obstructed the Committee's own investigation. She was found guilty on seven counts of violating House rules by improperly pressuring her staff to campaign for her, destroying evidence and tampering with witness testimony. Richardson was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 within four months and promised to require staffers who work on her campaign to sign a waiver stating that they haven’t been pressured to do so. The committee also called on the full House to reprimand Richardson. The following day, the full House duly voted to accept the Committee report and reprimand Richardson. See also List of African-American United States representatives Women in the United States House of Representatives List of United States representatives expelled, censured, or reprimanded List of American federal politicians convicted of crimes List of federal political scandals in the United States References External links U.S. Congresswoman Laura Richardson's official U.S. House website Laura Richardson Political History Biography Video of her time spent in Long Beach Join California Laura Richardson 1962 births 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians African-American city council members in California African-American state legislators in California African-American women in politics African-American members of the United States House of Representatives African-American Methodists Methodists from California California city council members California politicians convicted of crimes Censured or reprimanded members of the United States House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California Female members of the United States House of Representatives Living people Marshall School of Business alumni Democratic Party members