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Well, it looks as if the totally GOP controlled House is off to a good start. Just what does drain the swamp mean to them? Surely crime statistics will drop if you fire the police force?
What are they afraid of?
House Republicans meeting behind closed doors on Monday night moved to put the independent Office of Congressional Ethics under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee, effectively curbing the watchdog’s latitude to pursue wrongdoing by lawmakers.
A proposal by House Judiciary Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte, R-Va., was adopted as part of a sweeping package of rules to be put before the full House on Tuesday, when the 115th Congress convenes.
The independent ethics office was created in 2008 to investigate ethics complaints filed by the public. It currently refers cases to the Ethics Committee. After 90 days, the committee is required to make certain reports public and publicly state how it will handle the case moving forward.
Critics said the move would undercut President-elect Donald Trump’s vows to “drain the swamp,” and save lawmakers facing scrutiny the embarrassment of having charges aired in public. The office would be limited in its ability to accept anonymous tips and launch preliminary investigations.
“The night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions. Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in a statement.
- See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/policy/house-gop-shoots-move-scrap-appropriations-committee#sthash.q2tFKHZy.dpuf
What are they afraid of?
House Republicans meeting behind closed doors on Monday night moved to put the independent Office of Congressional Ethics under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee, effectively curbing the watchdog’s latitude to pursue wrongdoing by lawmakers.
A proposal by House Judiciary Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte, R-Va., was adopted as part of a sweeping package of rules to be put before the full House on Tuesday, when the 115th Congress convenes.
The independent ethics office was created in 2008 to investigate ethics complaints filed by the public. It currently refers cases to the Ethics Committee. After 90 days, the committee is required to make certain reports public and publicly state how it will handle the case moving forward.
Critics said the move would undercut President-elect Donald Trump’s vows to “drain the swamp,” and save lawmakers facing scrutiny the embarrassment of having charges aired in public. The office would be limited in its ability to accept anonymous tips and launch preliminary investigations.
“The night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions. Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress,” said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in a statement.
- See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/policy/house-gop-shoots-move-scrap-appropriations-committee#sthash.q2tFKHZy.dpuf
