This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Chaffetz won't launch 'fishing expedition' into Trump's finances — Courtney Tanner | The Salt Lake Tribune

"Rep. Jason Chaffetz has no plans to dig into President-elect Donald Trump's business dealings, including potential ties with Russia, saying to do so would be a "fishing expedition" pushed for by Democrats. Though, in a Sunday appearance on ABC News' 'This Week,' the Utah Republican stood by his call to investigate a federal ethics official who he believes was 'unethical' in criticizing the way Trump plans to handle his sprawling business interests while serving as president. ..."

"For the last eight years, the primary motivating factor for congressional Republicans — the thing that got them out of bed in the morning — was the desire to be against everything President Obama was for and for everything he was against.

"Come Friday morning, they will need a new reason to live. ...

" ... Specifically, the investigations committee Chaffetz heads must be self-directing enough to go where the facts lead, not turning a blind eye to the new administration's questionable dealings and not using its power to pre-empt or frighten off other watchdogs. On this score, Chaffetz has already put one foot wrong, calling out the head of the Office of Government Ethics for his efforts to guide Trump away from the massive conflicts of interest that exist because the new president will not divest his holdings or put them in a blind trust. ..."

House Republicans Try to Bully Ethics Office — New York Times Editorial

"In a transparent attempt at intimidation, the director of the federal Office of Government Ethics has been summoned by House Republicans to a closed-door interrogation session to explain his criticism of President-elect Donald Trump's conflict-of-interest plans as 'meaningless.' "Representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, accused the director of "blurring the line between public relations and official ethics guidance.'..."

How Republicans lose the mantle of 'constitutional conservatives' — Jennifer Rubin | The Washington Post

" ... Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, showed an abysmal lack of concern on Sunday in his appearance on This Week regarding President-elect Donald Trump's ethical conflicts and his potential, as soon as he takes the oath of office, to violate the emoluments clause. ...

" ... That is not a legitimate position for a member of Congress who has sworn to defend the Constitution; it's an outrageous one for the chairman of the committee tasked with government oversight. Committee members might consider whether Chaffetz is willfully refusing to carry out his duties as chairman. ..."

Trump Aide Says Ethics Chief Should 'Be Careful' in Comments — Laurie Asseo | Bloomberg News

" ... Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on Chaffetz's committee, said in a statement Sunday, "It now appears that Chairman Chaffetz and the Trump campaign are engaged in a blatant, coordinated attack on our nation's top ethics official simply because he is trying to protect against conflicts of interest and constitutional violations by the incoming president.'..."

" ... Before the election, Chaffetz, who heads the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, couldn't wait to launch an onslaught of investigations into Hillary Clinton, whom he said provided a "target-rich environment." Of course, there wasn't any hard evidence that Clinton had engaged in corrupt practices—it just looked that way to Chaffetz and, by god, he was going to get to the bottom of it!

"But after popular vote loser Donald Trump was elected, Chaffetz lost his zeal for holding presidents to account. The Constitution? Who cares ... ? ..."

"The Senate Democratic leader is accusing the House Oversight chairman of trying to "bully" the director of Office of Government Ethics after the watchdog called President-elect Trump's plan to deal with his business holdings 'wholly inadequate.'..."

" ... Without presenting any evidence, Reince Priebus, Trump's incoming chief of staff, on Sunday accused Walter Shaub, the head of the Office of Government Ethics, of being ethically compromised himself. Not long afterward House Oversight and Investigations Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) declared that he believes Shaub, in criticizing Trump, has been 'unethical.'..."

Chaffetz Just Wants Ethics Director to Chill Out — Matt Laslo | The Daily Beast

"The emperor may not have any clothes on, but don't try to tell that to congressional Republicans or you may get subpoenaed. ...

" ... Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) is known for his dogged pursuit of Hillary Clinton and for leading other partisan witch hunts from his perch as the top Republican investigator in Congress, but without a Democrat to pursue the conservative firebrand is taking aim at a government official. ..."

"Rather than investigate potential conflicts of interest posed by Donald Trump's businesses, House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz has asked the head of the Office of Government Ethics, who has been vocally critical of Trump, to meet with the committee to discuss his views on President-elect's plan to settle any potential conflicts of interest. ..."

"The Republican chairman of the committee with oversight of the District of Columbia said he is going to try to block the city from implementing a law that gives mentally capable adults with less than six months to live the option of ending their lives in a way that spares them suffering. "Assisted suicide is not something we take lightly," Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said of his plans to stop the bill from taking effect.

"Well, we have news for Chaffetz. Neither did the D.C. Council. Nor, for that matter, did the six states that currently allow medical aid in dying. In fact, it was the studied experience of these states — the sparing use, the benefits to those with terminal illness and their families, the lack of any evidence of abuse or coercion — that helped persuade the D.C. Council after a long, thoughtful debate to approve a death-with-dignity measure that enjoyed broad public support and was signed into law by Mayor Muriel Bowser.

"All that, though, is seemingly immaterial to Chaffetz, who, like many of his colleagues on the Hill, views the District not as a locally governed community with residents who should have all the rights of other Americans but as an opportunity to score easy political points. ..."