The House Ethics Committee on Tuesday cleared Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) for not fully disclosing his business holdings to Congress, saying it was a common mistake made by lawmakers.

Buchanan was accused of failing to accurately disclose at least 17 positions with companies and organizations he held since 2007. The committee said in a statement that it “found no evidence that the errors were knowing or willful” and that such mistakes are common.

The ethics panel said  that “Buchanan has now corrected the errors and omissions in his financial disclosure statements” and “no further action by the committee is warranted.”

Buchanan’s office issued a press release shortly after the Ethics committee’s announcement, saying that the lawmaker was “pleased” but “not surprised” by the verdict.

While the decision was a victory for the Florida Republican, the ethics panel continues to investigate an unrelated allegation that Buchanan tried to illegally influence the testimony of an ex-business partner regarding allegations of campaign finance violations. The FBI, Internal Revenue Service and a federal grand jury are also conducting separate investigations into allegations against him.

Tags | House Ethics Committee, Vern Buchanan