Powerful GOP rep rebukes ethics chief, hints at probe
Ex-Bush official says Jason Chaffetz angry Trump was criticized.
The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee on Thursday issued a stern letter, including a veiled threat of an investigation, to the federal government’s top ethics monitor, who this week had questioned President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to confront his potential conflicts of interest.
In an unusual action against the independent Office of Government Ethics, Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah accused the office’s director, Walter Shaub, of “blurring the line between public relations and official ethics guidance.”
He cited a bizarre series of Twitter posts that the office made in late November congratulating Trump for divesting from his business — even though Trump had made no such commitment. Chaffetz also said the office had failed to adequately investigate Hillary Clinton, based on allegations that she had not properly Follow veteran Palm Beach Post politics writer George Bennett as he covers Presidentelect Donald Trump during the transition — and beyond. Bennett covered Trump during the 2016 presidential race — from the campaign trail, at the convention and in New York on election night. Follow him at and @gbennettpost, Post staff writer Kristina Webb @ KristinaWebb and Post staff writer Corvaya Jeffries @CorvayaCMG as they cover Trump’s inauguration next week in Washington. disclosed fees paid for speeches she gave after leaving her post as secretary of state.
Chaffetz’s letter made no mention of Shaub’s airing of doubts a day earlier about Trump’s ethics plan, which includes retain-