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WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul Tonko issued a public rebuke today in response to jockeying by House Republicans following an overnight vote that would have eliminated the independent oversight powers of the Office of Congressional Ethics. Republican leaders were forced to discard the proposal amidst public outcry over the effort, including by President-elect Donald Trump.

In a statement, Rep. Tonko condemned the Republican move and praised members of the public for voicing overwhelming opposition to the measure through phone calls, emails and activity on social media:

“Thanks to overwhelming public outcry, including countless calls and emails from voters across Upstate New York, House Republicans have wisely reversed course on their effort to gut ethics oversight in the House of Representatives. But make no mistake, my Republican colleagues showed their hand last night. Without warning and in the darkness of night, they voted to make it easier for members to conduct backroom dealings and benefit personally from lobbying by their favorite special interests. I applaud the many members of the public who made phone calls, sent emails and posted on social media to stop this misguided move, and I encourage every citizen to continue to keep a close eye on those who would seek to put any interest, special or personal, ahead of our Constitution and the needs of the American people,” said Tonko.

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