We were right. According to this article, the House GOP simply dropped a few of the most controversial provisions but IS STILL moving ahead with the rest of its plan to gut the ethic rules:
The proposals will make it harder to proceed with an ethics investigation by requiring a majority vote of the evenly divided ethics committee. The current system allows an investigation to begin automatically if there is no action within 45 days.So now the GOP has as say as to whether there's an ethics committee investigation of a GOP member. Good way to kill any investigation in the future.
Among other provisions of the package, lawmakers and their staff would be able to take a relative along on lobbyist-financed trips. Currently, they can be accompanied only by a spouse or child.Well isn't that nice. Now mom and dad, or sister and brother, can receive gifts from lobbyists too. Phew! Imagine members of Congress and their staff having to survive all these years without bringing mom and dad on business trips.
Now I'm wondering what else they've snuck in this rule change. But we were right. They were up to something. Drop a few of the most controversial provisions, then pass the rest of the crap. Slimy slimy slimy.
