Attempt to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics received widespread local coverage
Congressional Republicans’ first day of the new Congress was marred by wall-to-wall coverage of their shady – and ultimately thwarted – attempt to gut the only independent House ethics watchdog. The bizarrely tone-deaf and ethically bankrupt move created shockwaves, hitting front pages in cities and towns across the country.
“If Republicans thought the American people weren’t watching and ready to hold them accountable, they faced a rude awakening yesterday,” said DCCC Spokesman Tyler Law. “Not only was their move to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics morally bankrupt, their embarrassing failure ensured that voters in every corner of the country know who unprepared they are to govern.”
Here’s a small sampling of the backlash that Republicans who publicly supported gutting the OCE faced back home…
AL-02: HEADLINE: Alabama lawmakers defend their votes after ethics panel backlash – Anniston Star
AL-02: HEADLINE: How they voted on ethics: Half Alabama GOP lawmakers won’t say – AL.com
AL-02: FRONT PAGE HEADLINE: Backlash forces GOP to reconsider: House Republicans back down on bid to gut ethics committee – New York Times (appearing in the Anniston Star)
(Credit: Newseum Front Pages)
CO-03: HEADLINE: Colorado Rep. Scott Tipton still won’t say how he voted on the ethics office controversy – Denverite
FL-26: HEADLINE: Miami Republicans Supported Gutting House Ethics Office Before Changing Their Minds – Miami New Times
FL-26/27: HEADLINE: House GOP reverses move — backed by 2 Miami Republicans — to cripple ethics office – Miami Herald
FL-26/27: HEADLINE: Florida Republicans blast and defend attempt to gut ethics office – Tampa Bay Times
FL-26/27: HEADLINE: El Nuevo Herald: El Congreso no debe descuidar la ética – El Nuevo Herald
IA-01: FRONT PAGE HEADLINE: Trump-era Congress off to a rough start – The Gazette
(Credit: Newseum Front Pages)
IL-06: TV COVERAGE: Rep. Roskam Among Republicans Who Sought To Dissolve Congressional Ethics Office – CBS Chicago
IL-06: HEADLINE: U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam among those supporting effort to gut independent ethics office – Associated Press
IL-06: HEADLINE: What’s Roskam’s role in House ethics meltdown? – Crain’s Chicago Business
IL-06: Coverage on Roskam’s efforts to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics – WLS Radio
KS-03: HEADLINE: Yoder voted ‘yes’ on overhaul of ethics office, although getting that answer wasn’t easy – Lawrence Journal-World
KS-03/02: HEADLINE: Jenkins and Yoder favor changes to the Office of Congressional Ethics – The Topeka Capital Journal