Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, a key figure in military oversight, has been thrust into controversy after reports surfaced alleging her involvement with not one but two military officials—one of whom was a disgraced Air Force general demoted for inappropriate relationships on Capitol Hill.
According to a bombshell ProPublica investigation, Ernst was named as one of the alleged partners of retired Maj. Gen. Christopher Finerty, who was demoted after a military probe uncovered his illicit affairs with multiple women. Finerty, once a rising star in the Air Force’s legislative affairs office, was forced into early retirement in November 2023 after investigators found he had engaged in “sexual, inappropriate, or unprofessional relationships.”
While the inspector general’s report redacted the names of Finerty’s partners, two sources confirmed to ProPublica that Ernst was among them. According to the Daily Beast, the revelations have raised serious ethical concerns, as Finerty, described as a de facto lobbyist for the Air Force, may have influenced legislative decisions while engaged in the alleged affair.
One Air Force source characterized the situation as “so sleazy” that it tainted the branch’s interactions with Congress. Ernst, a combat veteran and a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wields significant influence over Pentagon funding—further intensifying the scandal’s implications.
Adding to the intrigue, three sources told ProPublica that Finerty was not Ernst’s only romantic entanglement with a military official. In 2019, the same year she finalized her divorce, she allegedly had a relationship with a Navy legislative affairs officer. The affair reportedly created friction between her office and the Navy, further complicating Ernst’s standing on military matters.
The senator’s office has refused to directly deny the allegations, instead dismissing them as “tabloid journalism.” A spokesperson issued a defiant statement: “The fake news media is clearly too busy gossiping to report the real news that Senator Ernst is focused on cutting waste at the Pentagon. Any insinuation otherwise is a slanderous lie—full stop.”
Finerty’s attorney has also denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his client never leveraged personal relationships for undue influence. However, the military’s investigation found text exchanges between Finerty and at least one Capitol Hill woman in which personal and professional discussions appeared intertwined.
One particularly damning exchange from 2021 allegedly involved Finerty sending a list of Air Force priorities—fighter jets, radar technology, and military interoperability improvements—to a romantic partner. The woman, whose identity was redacted, reportedly responded flirtatiously before sending explicit images, to which Finerty allegedly quipped, “This whole no more sexting didn’t last long huh?”
The Air Force’s report acknowledged that while there was “no direct evidence of favors or sensitive information being exchanged,” the perception of unethical behavior created serious concerns.
As the scandal unfolds, questions swirl about whether Ernst’s alleged relationships affected her legislative decisions. Given her role in shaping military policy, the controversy threatens to cast a long shadow over her political future. Whether ethics investigators or Senate colleagues will demand further scrutiny remains to be seen, but for now, Ernst finds herself at the center of one of Washington’s most salacious political firestorms in recent memory.
