President-elect Trump is on a roll today. Following House Republican's vote to strip the Ethics Office of independence, Trump lashed out with a tweet suggesting Congress' time be better spent on other things… and just minutes ago, following an emergency meeting, Republicans have confirmed the amendment has been pulled.
As a reminder, House Republicans abruptly voted on Monday night to eliminate the independence of the Office of Congressional Ethics, the chamber’s nonpartisan ethics board which investigates lawmakers' alleged misconduct, largely stripping it of its power, leading to pushback from Democrats and government watchdog groups. House Republicans, meeting as a group Monday night, approved an amendment from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte that would place the office under the oversight of the lawmaker-run House Ethics Committee.
And Trump responded…
With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017
……..may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017
Which led House Republicans to hold an emergency meeting, resulting in… (via The Hill)
House Republicans at an emergency conference meeting on Tuesday withdrew a proposal to gut an ethics watchdog.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) offered a motion to restore the current OCE rules, and that was accepted by the GOP conference.
The new Congress hadn't even formally gaveled in on before GOP leaders held an emergency conference meeting to discuss the blowback against the party's vote Monday evening to gut the chamber's independent ethics watchdog.
Trump wins again!
TO REVIEW- house Rs changed ethics process privately last night. They hear major outcry. GOP leadership reverses the process. All in 1 day
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 3, 2017
via http://ift.tt/2hOBfqK Tyler Durden