Senator Raphael Warnock faces serious ethics complaints over living rent-free in a $1 million luxury home purchased by the church where he serves as a part-time pastor.
At a Glance
- Senator Warnock resides in a $989,000 luxury home purchased by Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he serves as a part-time pastor
- Warnock has lived in the home rent-free since 2023, but this arrangement is not disclosed in his financial statements
- The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) has filed an ethics complaint alleging violations of the Ethics in Government Act
- Ethics watchdogs question the appropriateness of the housing benefit given Warnock’s $31,815 part-time church salary
- The church faces criticism for providing Warnock luxury housing while reportedly evicting low-income tenants from another property it owns
Luxury Home Arrangement Raises Red Flags
Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock has become the subject of ethics scrutiny after reports emerged that he lives rent-free in a luxury Atlanta home purchased by Ebenezer Baptist Church. The property, built in 2022 and sold for $989,000, features high-end amenities including a 100-bottle wine fridge, bluetooth-enabled cooking range, and remote-controlled privacy curtains. Warnock moved into the DeKalb County residence in 2023 after the church’s purchase, raising questions about whether this arrangement constitutes an improper benefit for a sitting U.S. Senator.
The National Legal and Policy Center has highlighted concerns about this living arrangement, noting potential violations of both Senate ethics rules and IRS regulations regarding excessive benefits provided to church employees. Paul Kamenar, an attorney with the group, has documented the timeline of events surrounding Warnock’s occupancy of the property and the subsequent questioning of whether such benefits are appropriate given Warnock’s part-time role at the church.
Ethics Complaint Details Potential Violations
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a formal ethics complaint on Monday, alleging that Warnock’s housing arrangement may breach the Ethics in Government Act. The complaint centers on the timing and circumstances of the church’s purchase of the home following Warnock’s election to the Senate, and his failure to disclose this substantial benefit in mandatory financial disclosures. The complaint raises serious questions about whether the housing benefit is excessive and unreasonable compared to the limited services Warnock provides as a part-time pastor.
“This is a matter of plain common sense. It is difficult to fathom [how] any citizen could look at this situation (a U.S. Senator being a part-time employee of an organization that happens to buy him a million-dollar house to live in for free after he was elected to Congress, and after which he sells his own house) and not think something potentially very wrong is afoot,” said Kendra Arnold, executive director of FACT.
“Especially given the limited amount of time Senator Warnock has for outside employment and the $31,815.12 annual salary he receives from the church in addition to the housing, it appears clear that the housing is excessive and unreasonable for the services he is actually performing.”
Contrast with Church’s Treatment of Tenants
Critics have pointed to a stark contrast between Senator Warnock’s living arrangements and the church’s management of other properties. Reports indicate that Ebenezer Baptist Church owns a low-income apartment building that attempted to evict residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes for minor delinquencies. This apparent discrepancy has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, including Paul Kamenar of the National Legal and Policy Center.
“It’s obscene that Senator Warnock’s church allows him to live rent-free in a new million-dollar house while it evicts poor black residents from its apartment building for being late in paying back rent for as little as $28,” said Kamenar. “Moreover, this benefit and his pay for being a part-time pastor may be an excessive benefit under IRS rules and trigger tax penalties.”
Previous Housing Benefits and Senate Response
This is not the first time Senator Warnock’s housing arrangements have drawn scrutiny. During his 2022 reelection campaign, questions arose regarding a $7,417-per-month tax-free housing allowance he received from the church. The current situation appears to be an evolution of that arrangement, with the church directly purchasing a home for his use rather than providing a cash allowance. Ethics experts have provided mixed opinions on whether the arrangement violates Senate ethics rules, which do allow certain benefits under specific circumstances.
“One must ask, if the laws written do not prohibit this particular situation or, at the bare minimum, at least merit a mere investigation, then what were they even written for? It is inarguable that the known facts do not appear to comply with the Senate Ethics rules, whether the Senate Ethics Committee will act upon it, enforce the law, and maintain the public’s confidence is another question,” stated Kendra Arnold of FACT.
The Senate Ethics Committee has not yet indicated whether it will take action on the complaint. Senator Warnock’s office has not issued a public response to the allegations as the matter continues to develop. The situation raises broader questions about housing benefits for elected officials and potential reforms to ethics guidelines regarding such arrangements.
