A University of Chicago student has filed an ethics complaint with the United States Senate against Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) following remarks she made at a campus event. The complaint, submitted to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, alleges that Slotkin suggested leveraging legal scrutiny to intimidate potential recruits of the Trump administration.
The dispute centers on comments Slotkin made during an Oct. 13 event at the University of Chicago, which went viral after she discussed sending a "deterrence message" to students. In a widely shared clip, Slotkin stated she wants young people leaving school to think twice about working for the Trump administration because it might bring them "a ton of problems." She said she wanted them to avoid participating in the administration rather than seeking opportunities there.
Michael Bicksel, a University of Chicago student who first reported on the remarks, filed the complaint Thursday. He argued that Slotkin’s comments were directed at students considering public service, not exclusively at individuals committing crimes. Bicksel wrote that Slotkin laid out a legislative-oversight agenda intended to "terrorize" members of the Trump administration to deter young people from joining it. He described the experience as "shocking" and stated that a U.S. Senator should not set a goal for students to be afraid to serve in the executive branch.
The complaint asks the committee to determine if the comments constitute "improper conduct which may reflect upon the Senate." This standard applies to behavior that may be unethical even if it does not violate a specific law or Senate rule. Bicksel emphasized that his peers are debating public service, not unethical behavior, and that they should not fear provoking the full power of the Senate for considering government work.
Slotkin responded to the controversy on CNN, characterizing the backlash as "manufactured outrage." She noted that Republican colleagues and interns have told her they are "worried" and "messy" about getting involved in politics. Slotkin’s communication director pointed to a statement she made Tuesday in which she accused President Donald Trump of weaponizing the justice system against her. She claimed his supporters use coordinated plays to threaten and silence critics as a distraction from economic issues and foreign policy.
The Washington Examiner reported Wednesday that the Justice Department is facing calls to investigate Slotkin over her remarks. The Senate Select Committee on Ethics is now tasked with reviewing Bicksel’s claim that the senator’s conduct falls below the standard expected of a U.S. Senator.