With No Warning, House GOPers Vote to Gut Independent Ethics Office

"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."

Eric Lipton reports for the New York Times January 2, 2017.

SEE ALSO:

"House Republicans Vote To Rein In Independent Ethics Office" (Washington Post)

"Speaker Ryan Looking To Punish Lawmakers Who Live-Stream On The House Floor" (Townhall)