Donald Trump slams House Republicans on Twitter for gutting ethics committee

In an extraordinary few hours, President-elect Donald Trump attacked Republican colleagues on Twitter for its plans to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics.

In two tweets, Mr Trump reacted to the closed-door vote of Republicans to put the independent OCE, set up in 2008, under the auspices of the politician-run House Ethics Committee.

Mr Trump’s first tweet said, “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.”

He followed up with a second that said, “Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS”

“DTS” stands for “drain the swamp.”

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

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

........may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

The package, which was approved on Monday, included a means for Republican leaders to punish politicians if there is a repeat of the Democratic sit-in last summer over gun control.

In a closed-door meeting, Republican Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, argued against making a unilateral ethics change, pressing for a bipartisan approach at a later date, but rank-and-file Republicans defied their leadership.

The 119-74 vote reflected the frustration of many politicians who have felt unfairly targeted by the OCE.

However, within hours of the Trump tweet, Republicans on Capitol Hill suddenly reversed course and announced they wouldn’t gut the committee/

Under the ethics change pushed by Virginia Republican Bob Goodlatte, the nonpartisan Office of Congressional Ethics would fall under the control of the House Ethics Committee, which is run by politicians.

It was to be known as the Office of Congressional Complaint Review, and the rule change would have required that “any matter that may involve a violation of criminal law must be referred to the Committee on Ethics for potential referral to law enforcement agencies after an affirmative vote by the members,” according to Mr Goodlatte’s office.

Politicians were meant to have the final say on their colleagues under the change.

Democrats, led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, reacted angrily when the move was first announced.

“Republicans claim they want to ‘drain the swamp,’ but the night before the new Congress gets sworn in, the House GOP has eliminated the only independent ethics oversight of their actions,” the California Democrat said in a statement. “Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress.”

In a statement, Mr Goodlatte said the rules amendment “builds upon and strengthens the existing Office of Congressional Ethics by maintaining its primary area of focus of accepting and reviewing complaints from the public and referring them, if appropriate, to the Committee on Ethics.”