New U.S. House Majority Neuters the Office of Congressional Ethics

Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
The Guardian - House Republicans move to defang ethics office investigating its members
The Guardian - House Republicans aim to rein in ethics body preparing to investigate their party
Washington Post - House Republicans pass ethics changes that Democrats say would hamper probes
Democracy Advocacy Groups - Letter to Congress on Changes to the Office of Congressional Ethics
Groups Taking Action:
Campaign Legal Center, Business for America, Campaign for Accountability, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

Today's Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

If a Congressman supports an insurrection, and there’s no one to investigate, did it ever happen?   Monday, the incoming U.S. House majority passed new rules, which, among other things, guts the Office of Congressional Ethics.

The Guardian and Washington Post report that while the new House leadership can say they didn’t SHUT DOWN the bipartisan office, term limits were instituted for staff, likely to force out four professionals currently serving, and giving only 30 days from the beginning of the 118th Congress to find replacements.  If they do find staff that quickly, four members now have to approve their hiring and compensation, so slow-walking it would sink the process.

So, there may not be enough staff to conduct investigations on the members of Congress who refused to honor subpoenas from the January 6th Committee, or pursue inquiries into newly-sworn-in Congressman and apparent serial liar,  George Santos.   

A January 4th letter signed by 25 pro-voter groups roundly condemned the move as eroding trust in government. QUOTE “Together these changes weaken OCE to the point where the office would struggle to perform its core function, dismantling one of the only ways members of Congress are held accountable for ethics violations.”

With the Office of Congressional Ethics defanged, and the change in leadership for the House Ethics Committee, meaningful accountability for Congress is done – for now. 
We have articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.