Posted on 01/02/2017 8:33:01 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
WASHINGTON — House Republicans, overriding their top leaders, voted on Monday to significantly curtail the power of an independent ethics office set up in 2008 in the aftermath of corruption scandals that sent three members of Congress to jail.
The move to effectively kill the Office of Congressional Ethics was not made public until late Monday, when Representative Robert W. Goodlatte, Republican of Virginia and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that the House Republican Conference had approved the change. There was no advance notice or debate on the measure.
The surprising vote came on the eve of the start of a new session of Congress, where emboldened Republicans are ready to push an ambitious agenda on everything from health care to infrastructure, issues that will be the subject of intense lobbying from corporate interests. The House Republicans’ move would take away both power and independence from an investigative body, and give lawmakers more control over internal inquiries.
It also came on the eve of a historic shift in power in Washington, where Republicans control both houses of Congress and where a wealthy businessman with myriad potential conflicts of interest is preparing to move into the White House.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Can’t afford it. And don’t need it anymore since the rats have lost 1000 seats in the last 8 years. Cost savings. Winning continues.
Trump wins again. Ryan loses again. And in 18 days the nsa will no longer be tapping my (and your) phone. Another great night in Trump America. Great again to sleep in peace. Praise Jesus.
If the House and the country survived without it until 2008 it probably isn’t that critical.
If you look at the OCE board members past and present, it will become quickly obvious that this was never a serious institution.
Confirmation bias.
I like it that Trump has his own income. It’s harder to bribe someone who has their own money. How many politicians in Washington are getting money from Chinese lobbyists.
Yep, pretty much been in survival mode for 8 years. Even more so the last 5 years. It’s unbelievable. But I’ve adapted. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.
Hillary was not wealthy and had no conflicts of interest with the Clinton Foundation.
There. I finished their paragraph.
Wow. Important info I’d say. I should have realized they weren’t in session. Thanks.
since the source is the New York Slimes, a link to the legislation and the roll call vote is needed.
The NYtimes is FAKE NEWS!
Thank you
On the surface, it seems that they are preparing for the swamp to be drained.
Why did they wait until the last minute to do this? Self protection or eliminate more government waste, hopefully it is the latter. Might be a place to start draining the swamp.
Elections have consequences, liberals. I will give the Republicans the benefit of the doubt and assume this was a partisan “ethics” committee set up by the Dems to serve the Dems.
CONgre$$, The Gang of 535, should be in federal prison (along with many past gang members...HIllary, Obama, etc., etc.)
The most EVIL government in the history of this terrific republic.
I don’t feel sorry for CR, but this ethics panel really did not seem to have much power to actually do anything substantive. Depending on who is running the show, it could easily be abused. If someone leaves their office, the ethics investigation goes away.
I believe it’s one of those things that has to be reauthorized and funded, and they just decided not to do it. Libs act like GOP is trying to hide something just because Pelosi was the one that started this.
And only natural born Kenyans are eligible to President.
Set up, maybe, but the Reps have controlled the House since 2011.
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