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http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/02/p...hics-oversight-of-ethics-committee-amendment/

Be warned, autoplay video at the link above.

ashington (CNN)House Republicans voted Monday night in favor of a proposal that would weaken Congress' outside ethics watchdog and remove its independence.
Republican Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte's proposal would place the independent Office of Congressional Ethics -- an initial watchdog for House members but without power to punish members -- under oversight of those very lawmakers.

This will now be included in a larger rules package that will be voted on in the full House of Representatives Tuesday.

Members of both parties complain that panel often takes up matters based on partisan accusations from outside groups with political motivations, and once they launch a probe members have to mount expensive defense campaigns.
But outside ethics group point to the ethics panel as the only real entity policing members and argue its independent status and bipartisan board are an appropriate way to oversee investigations.

"Gutting the independent ethics office is exactly the wrong way to start a new Congress," said Chris Carson, spokesperson for League of Women Voters, in a statement. "This opens the door for special interest corruption just as the new Congress considers taxes and major infrastructure spending."

 

[rpmurphy]

The swamp is setting itself in for the long haul.

 

[Davidion]

It's alright, the other side would have like totally done the same thing.

 

[Oersted]

Few weeks ago

Sixteen U.S. Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday urged hearings be held in Congress on federal conflict-of-interest rules and Republican President-elect Donald Trump's business empire, though Republicans were unlikely to agree to it.

House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Democrats asked its Republican chairman, Bob Goodlatte, who controls its agenda, "to examine federal conflicts of interest and ethics provisions that may apply to the President of the United States."

The Democrats' letter to Goodlatte followed Trump's vow on Wednesday to step back from running his business to avoid conflicts of interest, as concern over his dual roles mounts ahead of the Republican's inauguration on Jan. 20.

 

[Shard]

Probably unrelated.