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Comment on House Republicans Vote to Strip Independence from Ethics Officeparent

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How do you figure that? If this proposed rule change ever comes before the full House for a vote, that vote is public.

It will come as part of a bundle that nobody expects any Republicans to reject - http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/back-to-the-auction-hous...

Now, here's the good part, as it was with the DeLay Rule, the vote is secret. Why? Because this is a caucus vote, i.e., not an actual congressional vote. Let me digress for a moment and explain just one more bit of detail. With each new Congress the majority puts together a bundle of rules that will govern how the House works during that Congress. Mostly this just puts the old rules back in place. But there are always a few changes. All those rules get bundled into one bill and it's the first thing or one of the first to get voted on. That bill gets approved on a party line vote, just like the Speaker gets elected. If the caucus votes for it, it's a sure thing. So even though this was just a secret caucus vote, in effect it is binding as law since all Republicans will vote for it in the official vote.
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