WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Republicans are criticizing as partisan a new ethics reform proposal backed by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A summary of the not-yet-released ethics plan obtained by The Hill calls for establishment of a six-member board to oversee the Office of Congressional Ethics.
The summary says members of the board would be appointed jointly by the House speaker and minority members provided they could reach agreement on the candidates. If not, board members would be named by what the summary calls "partisan appointments."
Besides opposing that language, The Hill says Republicans are unhappy with a provision that allows any two members of the ethics office to initiate an investigation into charges against a member.
In a document listing ten criticisms of the entire proposal, Republicans say the two-member provision would enable partisan witch hunts.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi created an ethics reform task force at the beginning of the year after Democrats won back control of the House.
