Letter: Weakening ethics office hurts government

Enough is enough. Confidence in our federal government is already low. Is the first priority of the House of Representatives really to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics?

Lauded by watchdogs, the OCE was set up in the wake of numerous ethics scandals as a bipartisan office that monitors and investigates complaints. It is staffed by professionals and overseen by a board whose members are not in Congress. Found ethics violations are then submitted to the Ethics Committee within 30 days. It has enhanced transparency, enforced ethics rules and enjoyed board support among the American public. Moreover, it has been reauthorized by every Congress since its creation in 2008.

Proposed rules changes include instituting term limits that would boot off most of the Democratic-appointed board members and make it harder for the committee to hire professional staff.

Democracy requires citizens to reclaim their power with collective, cross-partisan civic engagement. Help spread the word that this is unacceptable and encourage your family, friends and neighbors across the country to express their outrage over this affront to the people's will.

While we're at it, we should build support for the several bipartisan bills that have been proposed to ban the epidemic of congressional stock trading. Our representatives should represent us, not enrich their financial portfolios.

We are more powerful than we think - as long as we can come together - to advance our common goal of protecting democracy and fighting kleptocracy.

Donna Limper

Bloomingdale