Roll Call: Advocacy groups denounce GOP proposals to ‘gut’ ethics office

Ethics advocacy groups are sounding alarms that a proposal from House Republicans to change the Office of Congressional Ethics could gut the watchdog, leaving it unable to function.

The proposals, part of a package of new rules for the chamber, appear subtle but would have a major impact on the OCE, ethics groups say.

First, House Republicans have proposed term limits on OCE board members, a move that critics of the change say would disproportionately affect Democratic members of the bipartisan body. Second, the OCE would have to make hiring decisions within the first 30 days, a potentially impossible task if the board does not have a full slate.

The changes are more subtle than proposals in 2017 that caused a backlash that included criticism from then-President-elect Donald Trump and led the GOP to reverse course.

“At first glance, it comes across as neutral, but it seems clear it hamstrings OCE,” said Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs for Common Cause. “Without a full slate, then they can’t really take actions. Another provision says they have to make hiring decisions within the first 30 days, but they can’t do that without a full slate of board members.”