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In one of their first moves of the new Congress, House Republicans have voted to gut their own independent ethics watchdog — a huge blow to cheerleaders of congressional oversight and one that dismantles major reforms adopted after the Jack Abramoff scandal.
Monday's effort was led, in part, by lawmakers who have come under investigation in recent years.
Despite a warning from Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Republicans adopted a proposal by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) to put the Office of Congressional Ethics under the jurisdiction of the House Ethics Committee.
The office currently has free rein, enabling investigators to pursue allegations and then recommend further action to the House Ethics Committee as they see fit.
Now, the office would be under the thumb of lawmakers themselves. The proposal also appears to limit the scope of the office's work by barring them from considering anonymous tips against lawmakers. And it would stop the office from disclosing the findings of some of their investigations, as they currently do after the recommendations go to House Ethics.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/house-republicans-gut-their-own-oversight-233111
The Office of Congressional Ethics was established in 2008 under House Democrats, in response to the era of lobbying scandals made notable by Jack Abramoff, the former lobbyist who went to prison on corruption charges.
It is the first independent body to have an oversight role in House ethics. There is no Senate counterpart. The OCE independently reviews allegations of misconduct against House members and staff, and if deemed appropriate refers them to the House Ethics Committee for review. The OCE cannot independently punish lawmakers for any ethics violations.
Update: House Republicans pull plan to gut independent ethics panel after Trump tweets
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 03 2017, @09:32PM
Regurgitating the freedom rhetoric we all get beat into our heads in school
Huh? Where? Schools don't promote freedom that much, and are in fact quite controlling and authoritarian. In fact, a lot of details are missing from so many history classes, to the point where it can make authoritarians look like decent people and horrendous policies look justifiable. The message I got from schools was that you should be obedient and trust your government.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by ikanreed on Tuesday January 03 2017, @09:48PM
Oh yeah, please tell me the lesson plans that included trusting the government.
No really. Tell me about the days you went into class and had a teacher tell you that your government was looking out for your best interest. It was never once for me. I guess they taught kids to call 911 for emergencies? Does that count?
Because I can tell you, up and down my school career.
Every day: "Liberty and justice for all"
Sports events: "Land of the free"
Early elementary school: You should be glad to live in the USA, we've got freedom. The pilgrims arrived seeking religious freedom at Plymouth rock.
Middle school: The American Revolution was about freedom from tyranny.
High school: Settlers went west seeking more freedom. Texas seceded from Mexico for freedom.
It's not until college that serious lesson plans about how freedom isn't the best and nicest thing ever start appearing. They absolutely beat that word into your head. They don't teach you jack shit about what it actually, seriously means.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday January 04 2017, @02:20AM
Every. Single. Morning.
And if your history/social studies teachers didn't drum pro-government propaganda into your head, why are you such an authoritarian asshole?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 04 2017, @03:35AM
And if your history/social studies teachers didn't drum pro-government propaganda into your head, why are you such an authoritarian asshole?
I dunno, why are you?
What, you don't think you aren't one of the most authoritarian people on soylent? You believe in liberty and constitutionally protected freedom! Its all those libtard SJWs who are the real fascists!
If fascism comes, it will not be identified with any shirt movement, nor with an insignia, but it will probably be wrapped up in the American flag and heralded as a plea for liberty and preservation of the constitution. —James Waterman Wise, Jr. (1936)
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday January 04 2017, @11:03AM
Which is a bloody stupid quote because of the absolute truth that liberty and authoritarianism cannot exist together as they are each other's antithesis. Show me once where I have argued for the curtailing of liberty in the name of liberty or the constitution. Once will do fine. I'll wait.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 04 2017, @02:42PM
What you argue for on a regular basis is perpetuating an inegaliatarian status quo for no other reason than it is the status quo.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday January 04 2017, @03:58PM
No, what I argue for is equality of treatment rather than equality of results. The former is actual equality while the latter is just bigotry rebranded.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 04 2017, @04:58PM
Get back to us when you are ready to support a 100% inheritance tax and the raising of children in creches where they all receive equal treatment.
Until then you are just another bullshitter picking and choosing which people deserve 'equal' treatment and which deserve special privileges.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday January 04 2017, @08:00PM
That's equality of outcome. See above re: bigotry poorly masquerading as equality.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2, Flamebait) by ikanreed on Wednesday January 04 2017, @04:03AM
Naturally the reason I'm an "Authoritarian" is because you've immersed yourself so deep into libertarian ideology you've separated yourself from common and/or accurate defintions of words and redefined them to simply be anyone not as batshit as you.
The reason I'm an asshole is because, holy fuck, American is voting in goddamn white nationalists, seizing partisan control of watchdog organization, and deluded conspiracy theorists are babbling about how "both" sides are the same, because they've become separated from reality into tiny little ideological bubbles where words don't even mean anything anymore.
Go fuck yourself, you goddamn child.
(Score: 1, Troll) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday January 04 2017, @05:34AM
> why are you such an authoritarian asshole?
You blew every last fucking fuse in the ol' Irony-o-meter with that one, Uzzard. Do you have any idea how expensive those are?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday January 05 2017, @03:41AM
Awww, a troll mod for that? Man, you RWAs get triggered really easily. My previous offer of Midol should you need one still stands :)
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...