Afternoon Roundup: House GOP "Reverses Course" On Day One
These couldn’t have been the headlines that House GOP leaders had hoped for on day one of the 115th Congress:
Politico: House GOP reverses course on gutting ethics panel
“Following a public outcry… House Republicans reversed course Tuesday on a proposal to gut their own ethics watchdog.”
“‘We shot ourselves in the foot,’ said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who said the ethics snafu was an unnecessary self-inflicted wound. ‘Sometimes people have to learn the hard way.’”
The Hill: House GOP scraps plan to gut ethics watchdog after emergency meeting
“House Republicans abruptly withdrew a proposal to weaken an independent ethics watchdog on Tuesday, in a rocky start to the new Congress.”
“The 115th session hadn't even formally gaveled in before House GOP leaders held an emergency conference meeting to discuss blowback against the party's vote to gut the chamber's independent ethics watchdog.”
“Even before Trump weighed in, a barrage of negative headlines and public outcry made it difficult for Republicans to stand by the measure, especially given that the Republican president-elect had campaigned on a promise to "drain the swamp" of Washington, D.C., of corruption.”
NPR: After Backlash, Including From Trump, House GOP Drops Weakening Of Ethics Office
“After a storm of criticism… House Republicans have reversed themselves and restored the current rules of the Office of Congressional Ethics.”
“Public outcry, opposition from ethics watchdog groups, a divided GOP, and two tweets from Trump critical of the rules change prompted a swift reversal of the proposal authored by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.”
USA Today: House Republicans drop plan to gut ethics office
“After public denunciations from watchdogs and criticism from President-elect Donald Trump, House Republicans on Tuesday reversed course and dropped plans to gut an independent agency that polices potential ethical wrongdoing by lawmakers.”
“The controversy over GOP plans to sharply curtail the powers of the Office of Congressional Ethics overshadowed the opening day of Congress, where Republicans control both chambers and soon will welcome a Republican president for the first time in eight years.”
“‘House Republicans made the right move in eliminating this amendment that should never have seen the light of day,’ said David Donnelly, president and CEO of Every Voice watchdog group, on Tuesday. ‘Not one voter went to the polls in November hoping Congress would gut ethics oversight.’”