Lawmakers seek to gut ethics office

[Chris_]

The Office of Congressional Ethics, a powerful symbol of Democrats’ promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington, is in danger of having its power stripped after the midterm elections.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have led the charge, airing complaints about the aggressive, independent panel in a private session with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month, and they’ve drafted a resolution that, if approved, would severely curtail the panel’s power.

But there’s hot competition between the CBC and the official House ethics committee over who has less regard for the Office of Congressional Ethics, also known as the OCE. And the rest of the House doesn’t appear to be far behind in its disdain. Privately, Democratic and Republican lawmakers, and even some congressional leaders, acknowledge that there’s a strong sentiment to change rules that empower the office to publicize investigations and wreak havoc on lawmakers’ political lives.

“We might have to take a fresh look, at some point, at the authority of the OCE,” said North Carolina Democratic Rep. G.K. Butterfield, who is a member of both the CBC and the ethics committee.

The OCE is “out of control,” one House Republican told POLITICO. A Democrat close to Pelosi said the OCE was “way out of bounds” when it sent information to the Justice Department on an investigation into lawmakers’ ties to the defunct PMA lobbying group.

“They’re not supposed to be an independent prosecutor,” said one Republican lawmaker. “I think there’s a lot of regrets with having those people [OCE] there.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38345.html

Why does it seem like the Congressional Black Caucus is behind every attempt to strip Congress of any oversight?  It makes me wonder if the CBC has something to hide or are covering for those that do.

[JohnnyReb]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38345.html

Why does it seem like the Congressional Black Caucus is behind every attempt to strip Congress of any oversight?  It makes me wonder if the CBC has something to hide or are covering for those that do.

Because most black politician on any level are crooked......y'all are just beginning to learn how crooked they can be.

[Chris_]

Yeah, my comment was kind of rhetorical.  If we bring it up, they'll call us names.


Crooked bastards.

[cavegal]

ETHICS......   What ethics!??

[JohnnyReb]

ETHICS......   What ethics!??

Ethel's ugly sister.

[cavegal]

Ethel's ugly sister.

I thought Ethel's ugly sister was Pelosi??? sorry I had to do it!!! but Ethel's ugly sister  lol!!!!