With a new Congress taking office last week, former U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., left Washington without having to answer charges that he misused government money to help his failed Senate candidacy. Congressional investigators in October issued a report that found substantial evidence that Broun used his congressional account to hire an outside political consultant in violation of House rules and federal laws prohibiting public spending for political purposes. The Office of Congressional Ethics board voted unanimously to recommend further investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which could have sanctioned Broun and ordered him to repay the money alleged to have been misused.