Tipsheet

Judicial Watch Pushed GOP to Reverse Decision on Sacking of Independent Ethics Committee

Earlier today House Republicans voted to make it harder for regular Americans to file ethics complaints against elected officials in Washington D.C. 

After the move was heavily criticized from all sides of the political aisle and especially from those demanding a "draining of the swamp," the decision was reversed. 

Government watchdog Judicial Watch, whose attorneys go after members of both political parties to promote transparency and expose corruption, slammed Republicans for the move. 

"It is shameful that House Republicans are trying to destroy the Office of Congressional Ethics, the most significant ethics reform in Congress when it was established nearly a decade ago.  This drive-by effort to eliminate the Office of Congressional Ethics, which provides appropriate independence and transparency to the House ethics process, is a poor way for the Republican majority to begin “draining the swamp,'” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton released in a statement before the reversal was made. "The American people will see this latest push to undermine congressional ethics enforcement as shady and corrupt.  The full House should seriously consider whether it wants to bear the brunt of public outrage and go through with the rule change this afternoon."

Judicial Watch also played a large role in the 2016 presidential election by producing emails and information surrounding former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's private, home-brew, unsecured email server.