Federal authorities raided the home and office of Rhode Island's Democratic Speaker of the House Gordon Fox on Friday as part of an investigation carried out by the U.S. attorney's office, the FBI, IRS and state police.
Representatives for the U.S. attorney's office refused to comment, as did former legal representatives for Fox, who earlier this year came to a settlement with the state ethics commission, according to the Associated Press.
Albin Moser, a lawyer who represented Fox in a recent complaint before the state ethics commission, wouldn't comment on Friday's events or say whether he is still representing Fox.
Jim Martin, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, wouldn't comment when asked whether the House speaker was being investigated. He said two federal search warrants had been executed, but he wouldn't say whether they were connected to Fox.
Fox has represented Providence for more than two decades in the state's part-time General Assembly, and he became the nation's first openly gay House speaker in 2010. He has a private law practice.
In January, Fox agreed to a settlement with the state ethics commission for failing to disclose he had done more than $40,000 in legal work for a Providence economic development agency. Fox acknowledged breaking a law that requires elected officials to annually report whether they received more than $250 in income from a government agency and agreed to pay a $1,500 civil fine.