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Smarmy Chaffetz Refused to Meet w/ Ethics Chief While Claiming Schaub Refused to Meet w/ Him
Chaffetz Skipped Meeting With Ethics Chief He Threatened To Subpoena, Emails Show
WASHINGTON ― Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Utah Republican who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, told reporters last week that a government ethics official who had criticized President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to deal with his potential conflicts of interest refused to meet with him. Chaffetz even threatened to subpoena the official, Office of Government Ethics director Walter Shaub. “This is not going to be an optional exercise,” Chaffetz said.
But it was Chaffetz who missed a previously discussed meeting in early December, according to Office of Government Ethics emails The Huffington Post obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. And the ethics office now says the congressman is trying to keep an upcoming meeting — proposed for Jan. 23 — closed to the public.
M.J. Henshaw, a spokeswoman for the House oversight committee, declined to comment on the emails and Chaffetz’s statements to reporters. She acknowledged that Chaffetz requested a December meeting with Shaub, and confirmed a meeting is expected to take place on Jan. 23. “The Chairman looks forward to a productive discussion on ways to update and strengthen the agency,” she said.
The Office of Government Ethics is supposed to prevent conflicts of interest in the executive branch. The agency has been especially busy since the election of Trump, the first president in the modern era who will take office without divesting or separating from holdings that may pose conflicts of interest.
WASHINGTON ― Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Utah Republican who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, told reporters last week that a government ethics official who had criticized President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to deal with his potential conflicts of interest refused to meet with him. Chaffetz even threatened to subpoena the official, Office of Government Ethics director Walter Shaub. “This is not going to be an optional exercise,” Chaffetz said.
But it was Chaffetz who missed a previously discussed meeting in early December, according to Office of Government Ethics emails The Huffington Post obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. And the ethics office now says the congressman is trying to keep an upcoming meeting — proposed for Jan. 23 — closed to the public.
M.J. Henshaw, a spokeswoman for the House oversight committee, declined to comment on the emails and Chaffetz’s statements to reporters. She acknowledged that Chaffetz requested a December meeting with Shaub, and confirmed a meeting is expected to take place on Jan. 23. “The Chairman looks forward to a productive discussion on ways to update and strengthen the agency,” she said.
The Office of Government Ethics is supposed to prevent conflicts of interest in the executive branch. The agency has been especially busy since the election of Trump, the first president in the modern era who will take office without divesting or separating from holdings that may pose conflicts of interest.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jason-chaffetz-emails-meeting-with-shaub_us_587fe1d1e4b04b69667e3760
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