Republican leadership voted Monday (Jan. 3) to amend new House rules to restructure the Office of Congressional Ethics, a move critics said would gut it and put the "fox" in charge of the henhouse. But after President-elect Donald Trump tweeted that Congress should focus on other things than weakening ethics oversight, Republicans had a change of heart. Republican lawmakers also reported receiving phone calls and emails from constituents opposed to the ethics changes.
According to various reports, including from Bloomberg, GOP leadership met Tuesday and dropped the controversial amendment from the rules package expected to be voted on later Tuesday.
“House Republicans showed their true colors last night, and reversing their plans to destroy the Office of Congressional Ethics will not obscure their clear contempt for ethics in the People’s House," Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the House minority leader, said after the Republicans changed course. "Once again, the American people have seen the toxic dysfunction of a Republican House that will do anything to further their special interest agenda, thwart transparency and undermine the public trust."
