News & Politics

Congressman Let His Son Live in Capitol Basement, Lawsuit Claims

Colorado's Doug Lamborn is also being accused of running an unsafe workplace during Covid.

Photo by Evy Mages

It’s no secret that members of Congress sometimes bunk in their offices, but now one is being accused of taking that practice to a new extreme. A lawsuit (first reported by NBC4 Washington) alleges that Colorado congressman Doug Lamborn permitted his son to live in the basement of the Capitol. Apparently, Lamborn’s son was moving to Washington for a new gig and opted to crash in a storage space in his dad’s workplace instead of an Airbnb, hotel, or friend’s couch.

The incident is just one of the accusations made in a lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia by former Lamborn aide Brandon Pope. According to the suit, Lamborn displayed a “dangerous” approach to Covid in the office, allegedly not requiring masks and sleeping in his office despite knowledge that staffers had tested positive for the virus. Pope—who was later fired from his job—says that Lamborn’s actions violate the workplace law that protects employees on Capitol Hill, the Congressional Accountability Act.

“The workplace safety allegations made by Mr. Pope are unsubstantiated and did not result in the termination of his employment,” Lamborn’s communications director, Cassandra Sebastian, told NBC4. “Congressman Lamborn looks forward to full vindication as all facts come to light.”

Meanwhile, if Lamborn’s son is still looking for a place to crash, might we humbly recommend a certain publication’s list of best hotels around Washington?

Daniella Byck
Lifestyle Editor

Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.