House sexual harassment overhaul sidelines ethics watchdog
ipartisan legislation released earlier this week to overhaul Capitol Hill’s sexual harassment policies would prevent an independent ethics watchdog from reviewing complaints.
The bill, unveiled Thursday, contains a provision that would prevent the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) from initiating investigations of alleged harassment if a claim is filed with the updated reporting system.
Instead, harassment claims would have to be automatically referred to the House Ethics Committee for potential discipline with no ability by OCE to review as well.
But government transparency groups like Issue One warn that the legislation undermines OCE and limits transparency.
The OCE was created in 2008 as an independent, non-partisan entity to add a layer of accountability to the House ethics process. Then-Speaker Pelosi (D-Calif.) led the push to create the OCE as part of a congressional ethics reform package in response to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and violations by former Reps. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.).
Government transparency advocates argue that members of the House Ethics Committee can’t be counted upon to hold their colleagues accountable as well as an independent watchdog like the OCE.
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/369957-house-sexual-harassment-overhaul-sidelines-ethics-watchdog
