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skates like Eck
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Just as the Anti- Kennedy family will be entering the White House, the floodgates for corruption, secrecy, and the protection of crime against Americans, open wide.
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017...o-gut-independent-congressional-ethics-office
The measure has already drawn the ire of ethics experts and watchdog groups, which argue that an independent body is necessary for true congressional oversight. “This is huge,” Bryson Morgan, who worked as a lawyer for the Office of Congressional Ethics from 2013 until 2015, told the Times. “It effectively allows the committee to shut down any independent investigation into member misconduct.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...independent-ethics-office-20170102-story.html
Under the ethics change pushed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., the non-partisan Office of Congressional Ethics would fall under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is run by lawmakers. It would be known as the Office of Congressional Complaint Review, and the rule change would require that "any matter that may involve a violation of criminal law must be referred to the Committee on Ethics for potential referral to law enforcement agencies after an affirmative vote by the members," according to Goodlatte's office.
Lawmakers would have the final say under the change. House Republicans voted 119-74 for the Goodlatte measure despite arguments from Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., against the change. They failed to sway rank-and-file Republicans, some of whom have felt unfairly targeted by the OCE.
Democrats, led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, reacted angrily.
"Republicans claim they want to 'drain the swamp,' but the night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions," the California lawmaker said in a statement. "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress."
http://www.wcvb.com/article/house-gop-votes-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/8555895
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said:
"Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress."
The League of Women Voters said Speaker Paul Ryan is "giving a green light to congressional corruption."
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligence...017-by-gutting-independent-ethics-office.html
Monday night, House Republicans voted behind closed doors to gut an independent ethics office, which was established eight years ago after bribery and corruption scandals landed several members of Congress in jail.
The measure would transform the Office of Congressional Ethics — a six-member board of private citizens — into the Office of Congressional Complaint Review, and put it under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is comprised of sitting members of Congress. The move is expected to be approved on Tuesday when the full House votes on a package of rules changes for the incoming 115th Congress.
the proposed changes would significantly curtail the ethics watchdog’s activities. Currently, the Office of Congressional Ethics can investigate anonymous tips or news stories accusing lawmakers of wrongdoing by conducting confidential interviews and collecting documents. According to the New York Times, the board votes on whether the incident should be referred to the House Ethics Committee, which then conducts its own investigation. The House Ethics Committee can ignore the recommendation, but it must release the board’s report on the allegation.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligence...017-by-gutting-independent-ethics-office.html
http://m.dailykos.com/stories/1616611
"In their first act of the new year, House Republicans held a secret meeting and a secret vote to essentially kill the Office of Congressional Ethics."
From Eric Lipton at The New York Times:
The surprising vote came on the eve of the start of a new session of Congress, where emboldened Republicans are ready to push an ambitious agenda on everything from health care to infrastructure, issues that will be the subject of intense lobbying from corporate interests. The House Republicans’ move would take away both power and independence from an investigative body, and give lawmakers more control over internal inquiries. [...]
By moving all of the authority to the House Ethics Committee, several ethics lawyers said, the House risks becoming far too protective of members accused of wrongdoing. [...] “This is huge,” said [Bryson Morgan, who worked as an investigative lawyer at the Office of Congressional Ethics from 2013 until 2015], who now defends lawmakers targeted in ethics investigations. “It effectively allows the committee to shut down any independent investigation into member misconduct. Historically, the ethics committee has failed to investigate member misconduct.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/u...lumn-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
115th Congress begins with rules amendments undermining O.C.E.
http://wonkette.com/467976/and-the-most-nepotistic-member-of-congress-award-goes-to
Money!
Top five representatives paying the most money in salaries or fees to family members:
• Rep. Alcee Hastings, (D-FL) paid his girlfriend $622,574.
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) paid his wife $512,293.
• Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) paid her daughter and grandson a combined $495,650.
• Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) paid six different relatives a combined $304,599.
• Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) paid his wife $238,438.
• In total, representatives paid $5,575,090 in salaries or fees directly to family members.
Just as the Anti- Kennedy family will be entering the White House, the floodgates for corruption, secrecy, and the protection of crime against Americans, open wide.
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017...o-gut-independent-congressional-ethics-office
The measure has already drawn the ire of ethics experts and watchdog groups, which argue that an independent body is necessary for true congressional oversight. “This is huge,” Bryson Morgan, who worked as a lawyer for the Office of Congressional Ethics from 2013 until 2015, told the Times. “It effectively allows the committee to shut down any independent investigation into member misconduct.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...independent-ethics-office-20170102-story.html
Under the ethics change pushed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., the non-partisan Office of Congressional Ethics would fall under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is run by lawmakers. It would be known as the Office of Congressional Complaint Review, and the rule change would require that "any matter that may involve a violation of criminal law must be referred to the Committee on Ethics for potential referral to law enforcement agencies after an affirmative vote by the members," according to Goodlatte's office.
Lawmakers would have the final say under the change. House Republicans voted 119-74 for the Goodlatte measure despite arguments from Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., against the change. They failed to sway rank-and-file Republicans, some of whom have felt unfairly targeted by the OCE.
Democrats, led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, reacted angrily.
"Republicans claim they want to 'drain the swamp,' but the night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions," the California lawmaker said in a statement. "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress."
http://www.wcvb.com/article/house-gop-votes-to-gut-independent-ethics-office/8555895
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said:
"Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress."
The League of Women Voters said Speaker Paul Ryan is "giving a green light to congressional corruption."
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligence...017-by-gutting-independent-ethics-office.html
Monday night, House Republicans voted behind closed doors to gut an independent ethics office, which was established eight years ago after bribery and corruption scandals landed several members of Congress in jail.
The measure would transform the Office of Congressional Ethics — a six-member board of private citizens — into the Office of Congressional Complaint Review, and put it under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is comprised of sitting members of Congress. The move is expected to be approved on Tuesday when the full House votes on a package of rules changes for the incoming 115th Congress.
the proposed changes would significantly curtail the ethics watchdog’s activities. Currently, the Office of Congressional Ethics can investigate anonymous tips or news stories accusing lawmakers of wrongdoing by conducting confidential interviews and collecting documents. According to the New York Times, the board votes on whether the incident should be referred to the House Ethics Committee, which then conducts its own investigation. The House Ethics Committee can ignore the recommendation, but it must release the board’s report on the allegation.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligence...017-by-gutting-independent-ethics-office.html
http://m.dailykos.com/stories/1616611
"In their first act of the new year, House Republicans held a secret meeting and a secret vote to essentially kill the Office of Congressional Ethics."
From Eric Lipton at The New York Times:
The surprising vote came on the eve of the start of a new session of Congress, where emboldened Republicans are ready to push an ambitious agenda on everything from health care to infrastructure, issues that will be the subject of intense lobbying from corporate interests. The House Republicans’ move would take away both power and independence from an investigative body, and give lawmakers more control over internal inquiries. [...]
By moving all of the authority to the House Ethics Committee, several ethics lawyers said, the House risks becoming far too protective of members accused of wrongdoing. [...] “This is huge,” said [Bryson Morgan, who worked as an investigative lawyer at the Office of Congressional Ethics from 2013 until 2015], who now defends lawmakers targeted in ethics investigations. “It effectively allows the committee to shut down any independent investigation into member misconduct. Historically, the ethics committee has failed to investigate member misconduct.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/u...lumn-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
115th Congress begins with rules amendments undermining O.C.E.
http://wonkette.com/467976/and-the-most-nepotistic-member-of-congress-award-goes-to
Money!
Top five representatives paying the most money in salaries or fees to family members:
• Rep. Alcee Hastings, (D-FL) paid his girlfriend $622,574.
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) paid his wife $512,293.
• Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) paid her daughter and grandson a combined $495,650.
• Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) paid six different relatives a combined $304,599.
• Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) paid his wife $238,438.
• In total, representatives paid $5,575,090 in salaries or fees directly to family members.
