The House Ethics Committee says it has appointed a panel to investigate whether Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley used her position to protect her family's financial interests, giving Republicans additional fodder to question her conduct leading up to November's election.

The Nevada Republican Party filed a complaint last year saying that her efforts to keep a kidney transplant program open at University Medical Center in Las Vegas constituted a conflict of interest because her husband, Dr. Larry Lehrner, is a managing partner of a company that contracts with the hospital to provide kidney care.

The Ethics Committee had earlier said it was reviewing the matter and would announce its course of action by Monday.

Berkley's campaign said it was pleased with the committee's decision "to conduct a full and fair investigation."