New York Times: "With No Warning, House Republican Vote to Gut Independent Ethics Office"
1. What types of policies is the new Congress going to pursue? Why is the Ethics office an obstacle to these?
The new Congress will likely repeal the ACA, reform health care and infrastructure. Thus, the Ethics office would frustrate the control of Republican-dominated Congress lawmakers and wealthy businesspeople in government.
2. What changes did the incoming Congress make to the Office of Congressional Ethics?
In place of the office, Republicans would create a new Office of Congressional Complaint Review that will report to House Ethics Committee.
3. How does Republican leadership feel about these changes?
Speaker of the House and Republican Representative Goodlatte defend the decision, asserting that it would strengthen ethics oversight but also give the House protections against efforts of the Office of Congressional Ethics deemed as overzealous.
4. Why do current Congressmen dislike the Office of Congressional Ethics?
The criticism is bipartisan, complaining that the Office is too aggressive in its investigations more than those by the House Ethics Committee.
5. What was the role of the Office of Congressional Ethics?
The office staff conduct confidential interviews and collect documents based on complaints from the public or media, release any findings of possible violation of federal rules or laws, and votes on whether to refer the matter to the full House Ethics Committee.
6. Why do Congressmen want to be able to control the spokesperson for this office?
Even if the House Ethics Committee dismisses the Office's release of potential ethics violation, the Office spokesperson is required to release a report detailing the alleged wrongdoing, which deters the behavior at question.
7. What are the likely outcomes of these changes?
The House Ethics Committee tends to be too lenient/overprotective of members of the majority party. So, it could shut down any independent investigation.
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