Kellyanne Conway, who will serve as counselor to President-elect Donald Trump, on Tuesday defended House Republicans’ push to overhaul an independent ethics office while clarifying that Mr. Trump himself has not taken an official position on the move.
“Let me make very clear: If a constituent has a complaint, they can still lodge that complaint. They just can’t do it anonymously,” Ms. Conway said on NBC’s “Today” program.
“Many of these people — members and their staffers who have been under investigation — have complained about their due process rights being violated and being compromised,” she said. “So they need protections as well.”
House Republicans on Monday pushed a rules change that would shift the independent ethics office, set up about a decade ago to oversee lawmakers, so that legislators themselves would control the office through the ethics committee.
“There’s a new office, and this new office would really cut down on the overzealousness,” Ms. Conway said.
Democrats have strongly opposed the move. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the amendment would “functionally destroy” the office.
SEE ALSO: House GOP votes to gut independent ethics office
The full House will have a chance to vote on the rules package on Tuesday as a new Congress is sworn in.
Ms. Conway said Mr. Trump has not yet weighed in on the matter.
“I’m sure that when he feels the urge to weigh in on something, he certainly does,” she said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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