Jason Chaffetz defends warning letter to ethics chief
As we reported, the director of the Office of Government Ethics, Walter Shaub, announced at a press conference on Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump’s “fix” to his ethics and emoluments clause problems didn’t fix anything. Shaub’s job is to enforce government ethics rules and sign off on executive branch nominees’ ethics arrangements, including such divestment as is required.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, before election day announced he would be investigating Hillary Clinton, who almost everyone thought would win the election. He was a dogged investigator on Benghazi and other matters in the Obama administration. In the wake of jaw-dropping evidence of Russian interference with the election and, specifically, members of the Trump campaign having contacts with the Russian government, Chaffetz has shown zero interest in investigating. He has shown no interest in forcing disclosure of Trump’s financial ties to Russia.
And now, in the wake of Shaub’s announcement, Chaffetz sends the ethics policeman a letter accusing him of unprofessionally blurring politics and ethics guidance. Citing a string of tweets, he demands that Shaub make himself available for the committee to “interview” him (presumably not a public hearing). He slams him for attempting to engage in “public relations.” He also raises at the tail end of the letter Congress’s need to reauthorize the OGE.
Ranking member on the committee Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), in a letter to Chaffetz, demands a hearing be held so Shaub can publicly discuss his finding that Trump’s arrangement violates bipartisan precedent and invites corruption.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/01/13/jason-chaffetz-defends-warning-letter-to-ethics-chief/?tid=pm_opinions_pop&utm_term=.8fd2e6e734ec#comments
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