USA: Republicans Backdown Over Changes To Office of Congressional Ethics

Republicans withdraw their amendment to changes of the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE)

OCE will remain as is

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The Republicans have have back tracked on their amendment to changes of the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) and have withdrawn them after a wave of negative reactions.

Instead, the proposed amendment was withdrawn by unanimous consent, meaning that the OCE will remain untouched for now.

Reuters reported  that Trump’s Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives agreed on Monday to weaken a nonpartisan ethics watchdog which oversees corrupt conduct of members. Republicans claimed the watch dog had grown too intrusive.

Republicans made sure that the body wold not deliver its reports to lawmakers, rather than releasing them directly to the public, so that there is no scrutiny by the public.

Reuters reported that In a closed-door meeting the Republicans voted to place the Office of Congressional Ethics under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee. The move gives lawmakers greater control over an independent body charged with investigating their behavior.

The ethics office was created in 2008 following several corruption scandals.