The White House criticized House Republicans’ efforts to gut the independent Office of Congressional Ethics on Tuesday, saying that it had been created in 2008 to “in response to ethical scandals plaguing congressional Republicans.”
“It is disheartening that the very first thing that the Republicans in Congress chose to do was to vote in secret to gut ethical accountability,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at a press briefing. “That’s not draining the swamp.”
If the president-elect is willing to stand up to them in those instances that would be welcome news.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest
House Republicans voted 119-74 during a closed-door meeting on Monday night to place the ethics watchdog group under the control of the very lawmakers it oversees. The full House was slated to vote on the plan on Tuesday as part of a larger bundle of changes to House rules.
Republicans reversed course on the rules change on Tuesday afternoon after backlash to their plan, including from President-elect Donald Trump, overshadowed the first day of the 115th Congress.
“With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it ... may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS,” Trump said in two tweets, using the hashtag for his signature ‘drain the swamp’ slogan.