Not So Fast, Media: GOPer Says Trump Tweets Didn't Prompt Ethics Reversal

By ESME CRIBB Published JANUARY 3, 2017, 1:15 PM EDT

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."

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