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House Republicans drop rule change gutting ethics watchdog House Republicans drop rule change gutting ethics watchdog
(35 minutes later)
House Republicans were forced into a humiliating climbdown on Tuesday after Donald Trump tweeted criticism of their move to gut an independent congressional ethics watchdog.House Republicans were forced into a humiliating climbdown on Tuesday after Donald Trump tweeted criticism of their move to gut an independent congressional ethics watchdog.
Members ditched their plan to severely weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics at an emergency meeting just before the start of a new legislative session on Capitol Hill in Washington.Members ditched their plan to severely weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics at an emergency meeting just before the start of a new legislative session on Capitol Hill in Washington.
The original rule change, carried out without warning and behind closed doors, had provoked a fierce backlash from Democrats and government watchdogs when first announced on Monday night.The original rule change, carried out without warning and behind closed doors, had provoked a fierce backlash from Democrats and government watchdogs when first announced on Monday night.
But it was flexing of muscles by the president-elect that appeared to force Republicans to cave in. “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 may be, their number one act and priority,” he tweeted. “Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance!” But it was flexing of muscles by the president-elect that appeared to force Republicans to cave in. “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 may be, their number one act and priority,” he tweeted on Tuesday morning. “Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance!”
Trump added the hashtag #DTS, for his campaign slogan “drain the swamp”.Trump added the hashtag #DTS, for his campaign slogan “drain the swamp”.
Trump’s incoming press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters: “He says their focus should be on tax reform and healthcare. It’s not a question of strengthening or weakening, it’s a question of priorities.” Asked about the tweets, Trump’s incoming press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters: “He says their focus should be on tax reform and healthcare. It’s not a question of strengthening or weakening, it’s a question of priorities.”
Even before Trump’s tweet, many House Republicans, including top leaders, opposed the measure and worried about its ramifications, the Associated Press reported.
At the subsequent emergency meeting, House majority leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who had opposed the timing of the decision, reportedly offered a motion to restore the current OCE rules which was accepted by members.At the subsequent emergency meeting, House majority leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who had opposed the timing of the decision, reportedly offered a motion to restore the current OCE rules which was accepted by members.
Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma said: “People didn’t want this story on opening day.”Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma said: “People didn’t want this story on opening day.”
The reversal marked a public relations disaster for the party and handed Trump a victory in what may prove a battle of wills over the next four years.The reversal marked a public relations disaster for the party and handed Trump a victory in what may prove a battle of wills over the next four years.
It is not the first time that Trump, a billionaire businessman often described as an outsider who mounted a “hostile takeover” of the Republican party, has been at odds with its rank and file. His intervention came on the day that the 115th Congress convened with Republicans in control of both chambers for the first time in a decade. It is not the first time that Trump, a billionaire businessman often described as an outsider who mounted a “hostile takeover” of the Republican party, has been at odds with its rank and file. His intervention came on the day that the 115th Congress convened.
But on the OCE issue he did appear aligned with McCarthy and Speaker Paul Ryan, who had both urged their colleagues during the closed-door meeting to vote against the idea, arguing that it should be done later and on a bipartisan basis. But on the OCE issue he did appear aligned with McCarthy and the House speaker, Paul Ryan, who had both urged their colleagues during the closed-door meeting to vote against the idea, arguing that it should be done later and on a bipartisan basis.
Both men then appeared to defend the move on Tuesday morning, only for it to collapse at the emergency meeting, fuelling a sense of confusion and chaos before Trump is even inaugurated.Both men then appeared to defend the move on Tuesday morning, only for it to collapse at the emergency meeting, fuelling a sense of confusion and chaos before Trump is even inaugurated.
The OCE was conceived in 2008 to investigate allegations of misconduct after several bribery and corruption scandals that resulted in members going to prison.The OCE was conceived in 2008 to investigate allegations of misconduct after several bribery and corruption scandals that resulted in members going to prison.
Under the ethics change pushed by Representative Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia, the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Ethics would have fallen under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is run by lawmakers. It would have been known as the Office of Congressional Complaint Review, and the rule change would have required 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. Lawmakers would have had the final say on their colleagues under the change.