Donald Trump criticizes Republicans for going after Congressional Ethics Committee
Los Angeles : First working day for the Republican-led US Congress was rough. The first session of the Donald Trump presidency saw a public outcry over the House of Representatives.
The agenda began with the lawmakers setting plans to enact Trump's agenda of cutting taxes, repealing Obamacare and rolling back financial and environmental regulations. But, a surprise move by Republicans in the House of Representatives caught everybody by surprise.
They decided to weaken the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, which is in charge of investigating ethics accusations against lawmakers.
So much so that President-elect Trump was not even pleased by the timing. He posted on Twitter, "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!"
Notably, the ethics office was created in 2008 following several corruption scandals. Several top leaders have opposed the measure and worried about its ramifications. Trump's tweet has prompted an emergency meeting and a quick change of course by Republicans.