 In the mid-1990s, Gingrich became the focus of ethics charges for his close association with GOPAC and other organizations; his use of Gaylord as a "top political lieutenant" despite the fact that Gaylord was, at the time, employed by GOPAC, was one of the things that got Gingrich in trouble, since House members and senators are prohibited from using funds received from a political committee to defray the costs of their congressional activities.On December 7, 1995, the House Ethics Committee admonished Speaker Gingrich in a letter which read, in part