Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., is facing allegations of ethics violations over his support for legislation that directed federal funding to an environmental nonprofit linked to his wife, Sandra Whitehouse.
Whitehouse, a prominent advocate for climate policy, voted for key bills that provided grants to Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit where his wife has long been involved. Sandra Whitehouse, a marine scientist and policy consultant, has been president of consulting firm Ocean Wonks LLC since 2017 and previously worked as a senior policy adviser at Ocean Conservancy starting in 2008.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) has called on the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate whether Whitehouse violated Senate rules on conflicts of interest. The group argues that Whitehouse’s legislative support directly benefited an organization connected to his wife.
Federal records show that since 2008, Ocean Conservancy has received over $14.2 million in federal grants. In 2024 alone, the nonprofit was awarded a $5.2 million grant from NOAA and another $1.7 million EPA, both for marine debris cleanup projects. The NOAA grant was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Whitehouse supported, while the EPA grant came from an appropriations bill that he also backed.
Ocean Conservancy has spent millions lobbying on ocean and climate-related issues—priorities that align with Whitehouse’s work in the Senate. A longtime member and current Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, he also co-founded the Senate’s Oceans Caucus.
Financial disclosures indicate that since 2010, Ocean Conservancy has paid Sandra Whitehouse $2,686,800 through direct employment and consulting fees.
Ocean Conservancy has denied any wrongdoing, stating that Sandra Whitehouse was not compensated from the grants and emphasizing the nonprofit’s longstanding role in marine debris cleanup efforts. “Ocean Conservancy’s selection was based on our decades of expertise,” said Jeff Watters, the organization’s vice president of external affairs.
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