House GOP Drops Plan To Gut Ethics Office After Widespread Criticism
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- House Republicans have dropped plans to gut the independent ethics office after widespread criticism and questions from President-elect Donald Trump about GOP priorities.
In a reversal, the House GOP decided on Tuesday to strip the provision from a package of rule changes.
The proposal would put the independent Office of Congressional Ethics under the auspices of the lawmaker-run House Ethics Committee.
"People didn't want this story on opening day,'' said Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma.
On Twitter earlier Tuesday, Trump argued that tax reform and health care should be higher priorities.
Trump said, "With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog'' their "number one act and priority."
In a second tweet, he said Congress should, "Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS''
"DTS'' stands for "drain the swamp.''
A Trump spokesman said the concerns of the president-elect are more about timing than about the issue itself.
House Speaker Paul Ryan downplayed the move. He had argued against the change Monday night, but in a statement earlier Tuesday, insisted that the panel will still be independent even though it will be under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee.
"I want to make clear that this House will hold its members to the highest ethical standards and the Office will continue to operate independently to provide public accountability to Congress. The Office will continue to be governed by a bipartisan independent outside board with ultimate decision-making authority," he said in a statement. "I have made clear to the new Chair of the House Ethics Committee that it is not to interfere with the Office's investigations or prevent it from doing its job. All members of Congress are required to earn the public's trust every single day, and this House will hold members accountable to the people."
In a statement, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Republicans have eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions.
"Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress,'' she added.
The independent panel was created in 2008 to probe charges of lawmaker misconduct after several corruption scandals sent members to prison.
Meanwhile Tuesday, Ryan swore in the new Congress, urging both parties to let campaign bygones be bygones.
"We come back from the campaign trail, we pack away the yard signs, and today we pledge allegiance to one flag -- the red, white and blue," he said.
Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he's ready to work with the president-elect, but he wasn't quite ready for Kumbayah as he blasted Trump with some tough rhetoric and sarcasm, CBS2's Dick Brennan reported.
"On January 20th, we won't be in reality TV, we will be in reality," he said. "With all due respect, America cannot afford a Twitter presidency."
Schumer, who's served decades in both the House and Senate and has often been criticized himself for Wall Street ties, said Trump's cabinet is "stacked with billionaires, corporate executives, Titans of Wall Street and those deeply embedded in the Washington's corridor of power."
"It seems many of his campaign themes are quickly being abandoned," he added.
But the House Speaker said Trump's message will resonate in Washington.
"I want to say to the America people, 'we hear you, we will do right by you,'" Ryan said.
Republicans were also focused Tuesday on an immediate repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
"If we can't do better than Obamacare, we might as well look for another line of work," U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said.
The inauguration will bring everyone together later this month, including Bill and Hillary Clinton and George W. and Laura Bush. Jimmy Carter said he will attend too.
George H.W. Bush likely will not attend due to heath reasons.
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