kidd
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President Trump Thread...
- Thread starter Angrymesscan
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You're*
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No you are.
Jiggyfly
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House GOP Votes to Strip Ethics Office of Independent Status
by Billy House and Erik Wasson
January 2, 2017, 8:10 PM CST January 3, 2017, 8:19 AM CST
House Republicans abruptly voted Monday night to effectively weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics that investigates lawmakers’ alleged misconduct.
Behind closed doors, the caucus voted to approve an amendment to a broader House rules package that would put the office under the House Ethics Committee and significantly restrict its authority. The House will vote Tuesday on the rules package as members open the 115th Congress.
The approval of the amendment, proposed by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, comes amid promises from President-elect Donald Trump to "drain the swamp." Trump has also proposed several steps aimed at limiting corruption in Washington, including term limits on lawmakers and restrictions on lobbyists.
“Republicans claim they want to ‘drain the swamp,’ but the night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions," Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said in a statement. "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress."
Kellyanne Conway, a top adviser to the president-elect, said Tuesday she hadn’t discussed the vote with Trump, who used the anti-corruption slogan on the campaign trail yet has been silent so far on the House measure. But she said it could be compatible with his rhetoric.
"One thing they’re trying to curb is the abuse of the process," Conway said on MSNBC, adding that much depends on the new ethics office that will be created. She said that constituents’ concerns could still be addressed.
The vote prompted protests from government watchdog groups, including those who had pushed for creation of the OCE in 2008. Those groups had said at the time that the Ethics Committee wasn’t diligent enough in policing and punishing member wrongdoing on its own.
Preliminary Reviews
The idea behind the OCE was that an independent office could provide preliminary, independent reviews of ethics accusations against members of Congress and make recommendations about whether further investigation by the Ethics Committee was necessary.
"OCE is one of the outstanding ethics accomplishments of the House of Representatives, and it has played a critical role in seeing that the congressional ethics process is no longer viewed as merely a means to sweep problems under the rug," said Norman Eisen and Richard Painter, the chairman and vice chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, in a joint statement. "If the 115th Congress begins with rules amendments undermining OCE, it is setting itself up to be dogged by scandals and ethics issues for years and is returning the House to dark days when ethics violations were rampant and far too often tolerated."
But the office has its detractors, including lawmakers and staffers on both sides of the aisle who claimed they have been unfairly treated. And there have been public turf wars with the Ethics Committee itself.
"There’s been numerous examples, and we heard some of them in there today, of members who have falsely been accused by this group who had to spend a fortune to have their good name restored," said Representative Hal Rogers of Kentucky, who said he supported the measure. "I think there has been an abuse."
Some House Republicans, including Representative Dennis Ross of Florida, said there had been some concerns raised during the closed-door meeting Monday night of the optics of placing new limitations on a government watchdog days before Trump takes office. But he said the majority of the Republicans felt it was time to fix problems with the OCE.
Leaders Opposed
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California were among those who argued against the amendment, according to a lawmaker in the room who spoke on condition of anonymity. Ryan’s office had no immediate comment on the rule changes.
On Tuesday morning, McCarthy confirmed that he had opposed the approval of the amendment but said he would vote for the rules package that contained it.
"It’s not what all the headlines were saying," McCarthy said on MSNBC. "The reforms do not change the entity."
He said the changes had earlier had bipartisan support to make investigations more fair.
"One thing we firmly believe in America is due process," he added. "People have a right to defend themselves if they’re being accused of something."
In a statement, Goodlatte described his amendment as one that would "build" on the OCE’s strengths, while also improving upon "the due-process rights for individuals under investigation, as well as witnesses called to testify."
"The OCE has a serious and important role in the House, and this amendment does nothing to impede their work," he said.
Other changes would include requiring that any matter potentially involving a violation of criminal law be referred to the Ethics Committee. The OCE also would be barred from considering anonymous complaints, and its jurisdiction would be limited to the last three Congresses.
________________________________________________________________________
This will be Trumps 1st real test of "draining the swamp" the overreach has begun.
by Billy House and Erik Wasson
January 2, 2017, 8:10 PM CST January 3, 2017, 8:19 AM CST
House Republicans abruptly voted Monday night to effectively weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics that investigates lawmakers’ alleged misconduct.
Behind closed doors, the caucus voted to approve an amendment to a broader House rules package that would put the office under the House Ethics Committee and significantly restrict its authority. The House will vote Tuesday on the rules package as members open the 115th Congress.
The approval of the amendment, proposed by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, comes amid promises from President-elect Donald Trump to "drain the swamp." Trump has also proposed several steps aimed at limiting corruption in Washington, including term limits on lawmakers and restrictions on lobbyists.
“Republicans claim they want to ‘drain the swamp,’ but the night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions," Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said in a statement. "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress."
Kellyanne Conway, a top adviser to the president-elect, said Tuesday she hadn’t discussed the vote with Trump, who used the anti-corruption slogan on the campaign trail yet has been silent so far on the House measure. But she said it could be compatible with his rhetoric.
"One thing they’re trying to curb is the abuse of the process," Conway said on MSNBC, adding that much depends on the new ethics office that will be created. She said that constituents’ concerns could still be addressed.
The vote prompted protests from government watchdog groups, including those who had pushed for creation of the OCE in 2008. Those groups had said at the time that the Ethics Committee wasn’t diligent enough in policing and punishing member wrongdoing on its own.
Preliminary Reviews
The idea behind the OCE was that an independent office could provide preliminary, independent reviews of ethics accusations against members of Congress and make recommendations about whether further investigation by the Ethics Committee was necessary.
"OCE is one of the outstanding ethics accomplishments of the House of Representatives, and it has played a critical role in seeing that the congressional ethics process is no longer viewed as merely a means to sweep problems under the rug," said Norman Eisen and Richard Painter, the chairman and vice chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, in a joint statement. "If the 115th Congress begins with rules amendments undermining OCE, it is setting itself up to be dogged by scandals and ethics issues for years and is returning the House to dark days when ethics violations were rampant and far too often tolerated."
But the office has its detractors, including lawmakers and staffers on both sides of the aisle who claimed they have been unfairly treated. And there have been public turf wars with the Ethics Committee itself.
"There’s been numerous examples, and we heard some of them in there today, of members who have falsely been accused by this group who had to spend a fortune to have their good name restored," said Representative Hal Rogers of Kentucky, who said he supported the measure. "I think there has been an abuse."
Some House Republicans, including Representative Dennis Ross of Florida, said there had been some concerns raised during the closed-door meeting Monday night of the optics of placing new limitations on a government watchdog days before Trump takes office. But he said the majority of the Republicans felt it was time to fix problems with the OCE.
Leaders Opposed
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California were among those who argued against the amendment, according to a lawmaker in the room who spoke on condition of anonymity. Ryan’s office had no immediate comment on the rule changes.
On Tuesday morning, McCarthy confirmed that he had opposed the approval of the amendment but said he would vote for the rules package that contained it.
"It’s not what all the headlines were saying," McCarthy said on MSNBC. "The reforms do not change the entity."
He said the changes had earlier had bipartisan support to make investigations more fair.
"One thing we firmly believe in America is due process," he added. "People have a right to defend themselves if they’re being accused of something."
In a statement, Goodlatte described his amendment as one that would "build" on the OCE’s strengths, while also improving upon "the due-process rights for individuals under investigation, as well as witnesses called to testify."
"The OCE has a serious and important role in the House, and this amendment does nothing to impede their work," he said.
Other changes would include requiring that any matter potentially involving a violation of criminal law be referred to the Ethics Committee. The OCE also would be barred from considering anonymous complaints, and its jurisdiction would be limited to the last three Congresses.
________________________________________________________________________
This will be Trumps 1st real test of "draining the swamp" the overreach has begun.
L.T. Fan
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There is nothing that is under attack toward the Ethics rules and Council. The area of scrutiny is a layer which has been formed and this group is being accused by members on both sides of the isle as being unfair and excessive. They are identified as the OCE group.
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Jiggyfly
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Yeah taking out the independent part of the committee and having people report directly to the congressional committee does not effect the Ethic and Rules at all.
But you know there is nothing else congress can be doing that is as important as this, right?
Those poor congressman having to live under the oppression of the Ethics committee.
L.T. Fan
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They are just rolling back some of the duties to the Ethics committee. You do understand this is a layer group that didn't function the way Congress hoped they would.Yeah taking out the independent part of the committee and having people report directly to the congressional committee does not effect the Ethic and Rules at all.
But you know there is nothing else congress can be doing that is as important as this, right?
Those poor congressman having to live under the oppression of the Ethics committee.
L.T. Fan
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This group http://oce.house.gov/
Was created by Congress in 2008. Congress decided to do away with it. Trump has nothing to do with this the proposal to disband it. It was formed by Republicans and Democrats alike. The Republicans are leading the move to restructure it but Democrats are equally disenchanted with it.
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-03/house-gop-votes-to-strip-ethics-office-of-independent-status
Was created by Congress in 2008. Congress decided to do away with it. Trump has nothing to do with this the proposal to disband it. It was formed by Republicans and Democrats alike. The Republicans are leading the move to restructure it but Democrats are equally disenchanted with it.
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-03/house-gop-votes-to-strip-ethics-office-of-independent-status
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Jiggyfly
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Actually Ryan and McCarthy are pushing back against it.
And I don't care if Democrats agree taking out the only thing in the group that has actual teeth is disturbing.
And why is this they most pressing issue being addressed.
Never said Trump had anything to do with it but how he react will speak volumes to his pledge of draining the swamp or business as usual.
L.T. Fan
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Then why did you put it on the "Bitch AboutTrump" thread? That's the whole reason I even responded was to indicate this was a Congressional thing and had nothing to do with Trump.
Jiggyfly
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Because I did not think it deserved its own thread and Because I wanted to see how Trump would respond.
And yes he even had a problem with it unlike you.
L.T. Fan
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And because you thought Trump had something to do with it or wanted folks to think he did. You just didn't digest what it was actually about. Never fear I posted the clarifying information for you. You didn't read the links I posted did you.
Oh and by the way. News and Politics forum. BiPo found it.
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Jiggyfly
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For a person who is always whining about somebody making assumptions and trying to make it seem like they said something they did not, you are going full bore here doing that exact thing to me.
I see you make it up the as you go long, no matter how much you have complained about the exact same thing before.
Anyway like I said I was more interested in how Trump would respond, which was in my initial post and that makes everything else you blabbered about here moot.
In closing I am glad that Trump spoke out about this which gives me hope that he will not be super partisan about everything.
BipolarFuk
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President Elect now on Twitter gloating that his ratings on the Apprentice were better than Arnold's.
Real Presidential material I tell ya.
Real Presidential material I tell ya.
L.T. Fan
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Have you heard our current President's gloating about how he has fixed so many things during his terms?
townsend
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Yes those two things are exactly the same. Obama oversaw 75 months of consecutive growth, and Trump was mildly successful on a show where Meatloaf and Gary Busey had to compete over who was better at business.
2233boys
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L.T. Fan
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Except he didn't.