Senate

Dem senator praises Trump for knocking House ethics move

by Jordain Carney - 01/03/17 11:58 AM ET

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar says Trump's reaction to GOP gutting watchdog was "correct" https://t.co/FNGw1c05S1 https://t.co/UcAYMMBlvx

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) January 3, 2017

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) praised President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday for expressing skepticism over a move by House Republicans to overhaul an independent ethics office.

The Minnesota Democrat called the president-elect’s tweets about the proposed changes the “correct reaction.”

“We are at a time when Americans want to have some faith in the government again. A lot of this election was about looking out for the people of this country,” she told CNN, adding that congressional Republicans are “basically turning their backs on something that was directly put in place to eliminate special interest influence in Washington.”

{mosads}House Republicans voted Monday night to change the rules governing the Office of Congressional Ethics, including putting the formerly independent watchdog under the oversight of the House Ethics Committee.

Trump questioned the timing of the decision Tuesday on Twitter, arguing that GOP lawmakers should be focusing on big-ticket items such as tax reform and healthcare.

“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,” he wrote, including the hashtag “DTS” for his campaign pledge “drain the swamp.”

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

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

……..may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

Top Republicans defended the move on Tuesday, arguing it won’t prevent the office from doing its job and will strengthen protection for lawmakers.

But Senate Democrats are panning the House GOP proposal, arguing it’s a sign of what’s to come as Republicans prepare to take control of both Congress and the White House.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who helped establish the OCE in 2008, took issue with Trump calling the office “unfair” in his tweet.

I helped set it up. There’s nothing “unfair” about it. “Unfair” is when Congress was self-policing its own ethics rules. https://t.co/UghziQCoIH

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 3, 2017

Tags Amy Klobuchar Chris Murphy Donald Trump