House GOP guts ethics panel

[Belsnickel]

(01-04-2017, 04:47 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: Yeah, the intent of the OCE was to create a non-partisan environment to review ethics complaints. But its other purpose is to make the information from ethics violations and complaints available to the public and to actually pursue investigation of complaints. Obviously, no one has a problem with information on a politician already convicted of an ethics violation being released to the public. The problem politicians have is with the public being notified about the complaints and investigations. Apparently, there have been some incidents where politicians were in campaign years and they have been investigated for unfounded complaints. There is a feeling that the announcements of the investigations have hurt the politician's chances of winning.

I definitely think there is some room for change with the OCE, but its independence is necessary. I have no doubt you agree, just kind of summing up my opinion. If Goodlatte's office would answer the phone I'd let him know, too. If only I weren't too lazy to walk the 30 yards to his district office.