Media outlets and journalists on Tuesday were quick to credit President-elect Donald Trump for House Republicans’ abrupt about-face on a rules change that would have significantly weakened the the Office of Congressional Ethics, a reversal which Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) said he could have predicted Monday night.
“I could have told you last night when we left this would be undone,” Simpson (R-ID) told reporters Tuesday afternoon on Capitol Hill when asked if he thought Trump’s tweet had any effect on Republicans’ decision to pull the rules change.
On Monday night, the House Republican Caucus voted on a proposal from Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) to weaken the OCE’s independence and place it under the purview of the House Ethics Committee, which is controlled by party leaders.
After widespread backlash Tuesday morning, Trump questioned on Twitter Congress’ prioritization of weakening the “unfair” OCE as its “number one act.”
Some news organizations and journalists were quick to draw an causal connection between Trump’s tweets and House Republicans’ swift reversal:
House Republicans reversed their plan to gut an ethics office, after intense criticism from Donald Trump and others https://t.co/uEKFLtkwaM
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 3, 2017
Breaking: Republicans back off gutting of House ethics office after critical Trump tweet https://t.co/hWXrbEeeT2
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 3, 2017
GOP drops weakening of ethics office, challenged by Trump. https://t.co/ynejv7s9ha
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 3, 2017
BREAKING: House Republicans pull proposal that would gut independent ethics panel after Trump tweets criticism https://t.co/49GtqUWVWE pic.twitter.com/Kgatwv8FFa
— CNN (@CNN) January 3, 2017
House GOP reverses course on ethics change after Trump tweets https://t.co/MruSmg5tT7 pic.twitter.com/UfRUpNFrtA
— Bloomberg (@business) January 3, 2017
UPDATE: House GOP backs off plans to gut independent ethics watchdog following Trump’s tweets: https://t.co/y6AkTG8yC7 pic.twitter.com/Dwwm1QE06K
— Layer 8 (@dotlayer8) January 3, 2017
A nod to parental supervision:
“House GOP Drops Bid to Undercut Ethics Board” https://t.co/N0La8SwZop @WSJ— John Bussey (@johncbussey) January 3, 2017
The Trump effect? House GOP quickly reverses gutting of ethics office after president-elect’s criticism & media outcry. What a PR debacle
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) January 3, 2017
GOP backs away from ethics rule change after Trump tweet. Trump 1; Swamp 0.
— Alfred Doblin (@AlfredPDoblin) January 3, 2017
What I like about Trump, part one: got GOP to cancel stupid idea eliminating independent ethics panel
— Russ Baker (@RealRussBaker) January 3, 2017
Trump Does Something Right– Causes Reverse of GOP Gutting of House Ethics Panel https://t.co/6OwPRK9Y6F pic.twitter.com/SfdJd1Oj8L
— (((rob kall))) (@robkall) January 3, 2017
I’m sure the phones rang. But Trump deserves the credit. https://t.co/m4vngCVNqY
— David M. Drucker (@DavidMDrucker) January 3, 2017
Lauren Fox contributed reporting.
Trump: The Republican party is corrupt even for me. I will keep them in line, trust me.
COULD you, Mikey? Then why did Ryan give it a tacit endorsement this morning? Just running for cover before the shtstorm? Or is it really just the meme you guys are adopting for the next 4 years of blaming the media every time you step in garbage?
So the GOP admitted they folded, just not to Trump. PLEEEASE let this be the catalyst for feuding.
Oh the irony! The most ethically challenged soon-to-be-foreign-policy-for-sale-President in history who stands to profit by tens of billions from the Presidency gets credit for stopping elimination of independent ethics office that monitors comparatively small time corruption by members of the Legislative branch.
As usual the media plays mop-up bull for liar monster elect…Stop this crap…Do not hang on or publish his un-hinged tweets till VERIFIED…
It is enough, you media, handed this con scum to America!..