Robert Newcomb - Irregular/Asymmetric Warfare & AI@DefendUtah
Rep. Blake Moore is using Members' Representational Allowance (MRA) funds -- taxpayer money -- to pay for an outdoor billboard in Ogden, Utah whose primary purpose is campaign self-promotion, not official representation.
THE BILLBOARD
The billboard, publicly displayed since at least March 19, 2026, features: (1) a large photograph of Rep. Moore; (2) the slogan "Ogden's Priorities Are My Priorities"; (3) the text "U.S. Congressman Blake Moore Proudly Serving [District]"; (4) links to his official congressional website and social media handles; and (5) the disclaimer "Paid for by funds authorized by the House of Representatives." The MRA disclaimer confirms taxpayer funding. An investigation of Utah state transparency records (transparent.utah.gov, purchasing.utah.gov) confirmed no Utah state funds are involved; the MRA is the sole funding source.
CAMPAIGN CONNECTION
Rep. Moore is an active candidate for re-nomination in the Republican primary for Utah CD-2 scheduled June 23, 2026. The billboard conveys no specific legislative achievement, constituent service, or official information. The slogan "Ogden's Priorities Are My Priorities" is a campaign message designed to create voter identification with the candidate. The prominent photograph and name display serve to build voter name recognition -- the primary objective of any political billboard. Applying the Members' Congressional Handbook "primary purpose" test: Rep. Moore would not have paid for a billboard featuring his photograph and this slogan absent his campaign for re-election. The expenditure fails the primary purpose test.
MRA DISBURSEMENT RECORDS
House Statement of Disbursements records show Rep. Moore's office paid $71,391.13 to Amplify Inc (Vendor ID 33984) for "ADVERTISEMENTS" (Budget Object Code 2405) in Q3-Q4 2025, including a single payment of $39,969.52 in November 2025. Amplify Inc is the sole advertising vendor for Moore's office. No direct payments to billboard companies appear; Amplify Inc likely subcontracts billboard placement to a local Ogden operator (Reagan Outdoor Advertising, YESCO, Saunders Outdoor, or Lamar Advertising). Q1 2026 data covering the billboard's service period is not yet published but will be available approximately May 2026.
PRECEDENT
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13) spent $930,000 in MRA funds on TV, radio, and billboards during a competitive 2024 primary; an ethics complaint is under active OCE review. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20) spent $179,000 in MRA on TV ads before her 2022 primary; the OCE found "substantial reason to believe" official funds were "misused for campaign purposes," and the Ethics Committee adopted a 27-count Statement of Violations with a public adjudicatory hearing scheduled March 26, 2026. Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ-6) was formally reprimanded and fined $50,000 for MRA misuse; the Committee found "official resources were improperly used for unofficial and campaign purposes" (H. Rept. 116-465). Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11) received a written warning from the Communications Standards Commission (6-0 vote) for political content in official communications.
I became aware of this billboard through direct observation and a public posting on X (formerly Twitter). Photographs and supporting documentation are attached.
"Applicable Law(s), Rule(s), or Standards"** (200-word limit):
1. Members' Congressional Handbook (CHA, November 2024): "Only expenses, the primary purpose of which are official and representational, are reimbursable." "The MRA may not be used to pay for campaign expenses." The primary purpose test considers whether the expenditure would be made absent its primary purpose.
2. 31 U.S.C. Section 1301(a) (Purpose Statute): Appropriated funds shall be applied only to the objects for which appropriations were made. Cited by the Ethics Committee as violated in the Schweikert matter (H. Rept. 116-465).
3. House Rule XXIII, Clause 1 (Code of Official Conduct): A Member shall behave at all times in a manner that reflects creditably on the House. House Ethics Manual, Chapter: "General Prohibition Against Using Official Resources for Campaign or Political Purposes."
4. 2 U.S.C. Section 501 and the Communications Standards Manual (Purple Book): Official advertisements must be purely informational; campaign/political content prohibited. Unsolicited mass communications require pre-distribution advisory opinion from the Communications Standards Commission.
5. Code of Ethics for Government Service, Paragraph 2: Government officials must uphold the Constitution, laws, and regulations and never be a party to their evasion.
