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Republicans just decided to destroy the body that investigates corrupt politicians Republicans just decided to destroy the body that investigates corrupt politicians
(about 1 hour later)
Republicans have voted to eviscerate the Office of Congressional Ethics, the independent body created in 2008 to investigate allegations of misconduct by lawmakers after several bribery and corruption scandals sent members to prison.  House Republicans voted to eviscerate the Office of Congressional Ethics, the independent body created in 2008 to investigate allegations of misconduct by lawmakers following several bribery and corruption scandals.
The ethics change, which prompted an outcry from Democrats and government watchdog groups, is part of a rules package that the full House will vote on Tuesday. The move is part of a package of rules the full House will vote on Tuesday on its first day of sitting after Christmas. 
The package also includes a means for Republican leaders to punish lawmakers if there is a repeat of the Democratic sit-in last summer over gun control.  The change, proposed by Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte, means the non-partisan office will now fall under the control of the House Ethics Committee – which is run by politicians – and would now be known as the Office of Congressional Complaint Review. 
Under the ethics change pushed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., the non-partisan Office of Congressional Ethics would fall under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is run by lawmakers. It means "any matter that may involve a violation of criminal law must be referred to the Committee on Ethics for potential referral to law enforcement agencies after an affirmative vote by the members”, a statement from Mr Goodlatte’s office.
It would be known as the Office of Congressional Complaint Review, and the rule change would require that "any matter that may involve a violation of criminal law must be referred to the Committee on Ethics for potential referral to law enforcement agencies after an affirmative vote by the members," according to Goodlatte's office.  This would give lawmakers the final say as to whether their colleague should face criminal charges. 
Lawmakers would have the final say under the change. House Republicans voted 119-74 for the Goodlatte measure despite arguments from Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., against the change. The new rules will also give the Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, the power to punish lawmakers if there is a repeat of the Democratic sit-in last summer over gun control.
They failed to sway rank-and-file Republicans, some of whom have felt unfairly targeted by the OCE.  House Republicans voted 119-74 in favour of the measure even though it drew notable opposition from House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. 
"The amendment builds upon and strengthens the existing Office of Congressional Ethics by maintaining its primary area of focus of accepting and reviewing complaints from the public and referring them, if appropriate, to the Committee on Ethics," Goodlatte said in a statement.  Mr Ryan and Mr McCarthy failed to convince rank-and-file Republicans of the important of an independent regulator as many felt they had been unfairly targeted by the OCE. 
Democrats, led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, reacted angrily.  The move came ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump on as Republican president on 20th January.
"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," the California lawmaker said in a statement. "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress."  On the campaign trail the billionaire former reality star had vowed to “drain the swamp” by riding the Capitol of special interest groups, lobbyists and politicians who could be easily bought. 
Chris Carson, president of the League of Women Voters, said Ryan should be ashamed of himself and his leadership team.  He claimed his rival Hillary Clinton was in the pocket of elite special interests such as Goldman Sachs as she was dependent on campaign contributions from donors whereas he was incorruptible because he was already “really rich”.
"We all know the so-called House Ethics Committee is worthless for anything other than a whitewash — sweeping corruption under the rug. That's why the independent Office of Congressional Ethics has been so important. On 9th December, Mr Trump announced he had appointed the Chief Operations Officer of Goldman Sachs, Gary Cohn, as his top economic adviser.
The OCE works to stop corruption and that's why Speaker Ryan is cutting its authority. Speaker Ryan is giving a green light to congressional corruption."   The House Minority Leader, Democrat Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi denounced the move:
The OCE was created in March 2008 after the cases of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., who served more than seven years in prison on bribery and other charges; as well as cases of former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, who was charged in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and pleaded guilty to corruption charges and former Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., convicted on corruption in a separate case.   "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.
AP "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress." 
Additional reporting by AP