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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUtah voters to Chaffetz: Do your job - By Jennifer Rubin
January 18 at 12:30 PM
Rather than commit to investigating President-elect Donald Trumps ongoing conflicts of interest and his refusal to comply with the letter of the Constitutions emoluments clause, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) has decided to dragoon the head of the Office of Government Ethics, who spoke out about Trumps ethical shortcomings, to a closed-door session. Chaffetz prefers to browbeat the messenger rather than enforce the Constitution and prevent rampant corruption. (The Posts editorial board today argues, Mr. Chaffetz is already prioritizing partisanship over responsibility. Undercutting the executive branchs ethics office would represent a larger failing.)
Well, Chaffetzs fellow Utahns do not like this one bit. The Salt Lake Tribune reports: Utahns overwhelmingly want Rep. Jason Chaffetz, as chairman of the House Oversight [and Government Reform] Committee, to investigate President-elect Donald Trumps potential conflicts of interests an endeavor Chaffetz has strongly resisted. A new poll by The Salt Lake Tribune and Hinckley Institute of Politics found 65 percent of registered voters surveyed in the state support such a probe, compared to just 31 percent opposed.
On Monday, Shaub wrote a letter to Chaffetz recounting that his request for an open hearing had been denied. Clearly, Chaffetz wants to do his bullying behind closed doors. Chaffetz previously demanded a transcribed interview. Over the weekend, according to Shaub, Chaffetzs office modified your original request and proposed a private meeting with you and the Ranking Member and your respective staffs to take place on January 23. Shaub told Chaffetz: In recent weeks, I have spoken publicly about my concerns about the President Elects current plan to not divestas well as to applaud some of his nominees ethics agreements, such as Rex Tillersons. My remarks were intended to educate the public about the shortcomings of the President Elects current plan and made in the hopes of persuading him to make adjustments that will resolve his conflicts of interest. I believe these remarks to be in line with OGEs mission. He continued: As these communications make clear, the public wants to understand conflicts of interest in government and the role that OGE plays in preventing conflicts from hindering effective governance. Holding our meeting in public is in accordance with OGEs educational function and will further ensure transparency in how we approach ethical governance. He added that he will agree to a private meeting if Chaffetz insists but is hopeful that (Chaffetz will agree that a public meeting is preferable. He even offered to provide alternative dates.
Ethics experts were aghast. It is the job of the Office of Government Ethics to publicly promote ethics and attempt to avoid conflicts of interest, said Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Committee leaders of both parties have a long bipartisan history of working across party lines and with civil society on government transparency and accountability issues. It is alarming that Rep. Chaffetz wants to speak to the head of OGE during the President-elects ethics vetting and does not want the public to know what he says. He added that the insistence on a private meeting will be seen as an attempt to silence any discussing of the incoming Presidents many potential ethical issues.
Laurence Tribe echoed that sentiment. Its crucial not only that the governments chief ethics watchdog be permitted to do the vital job for which that independent officer was appointed but that the public be permitted to watch that job being done rather than having to sort, after the fact, through potentially misleading descriptions of who said what to whom at a closed meeting, he told Right Turn.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/01/18/utah-voters-to-chaffetz-do-your-job/?utm_term=.7259d64e2a48&wpisrc=nl_popns&wpmm=1
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)competition for his Congressional Seat today. Another Rethug Lawyer with ties to Otter from Idaho. Opening line,work for Utah and not for yourself. Oh let the fun begin.
Raster
(20,998 posts)...is about to find out that the good citizens of the great State of Utah expect Chaffetz to SERVE THEM, and not the billionaire boys club.
blm
(113,063 posts).
riversedge
(70,239 posts)http://www.sltrib.com/news/4831057-155/utahns-want-chaffetz-to-probe-trump
.................Walter Shaub Jr., director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), defended his remarks in a letter Monday, saying they were "in line" with his role as a government watchdog and intended only to persuade Trump to "make adjustments" to his business holdings before taking office.
He requested a public hearing to address concerns over his comments that prompted Chaffetz, R-Utah, to threaten Shaub with an investigation and possible subpoena last week. Chaffetz had asked for a private meeting with committee members and Shaub to take place Jan. 23.
"Allowing the public to attend our meeting or, at the very least, to view it through live broadcast or the attendance of the news media would ensure transparency and educate the public about how OGE guards the executive branch against conflicts of interest," Shaub appeals in his letter.
Chaffetz declined to comment on Shaub's response Tuesday. He also would not comment on the Tribune-Hinckley Institute poll, conducted Jan. 9-Monday among 605 respondents. It has an error margin of 3.98 percent. ..........................