It's the first working day of 2017 for many, including members of congress. And it's already going off with a bang, after House Republicans surprisingly announced yesterday they'll de-fang an Office of Congressional Ethics designed to be an independent watchdog over representatives' shady activities. Under the new system, to be voted on today, members of congress will get to oversee the investigation of members of congress. MAKES SENSE.
The new Office of Congressional Ethics can’t release information to public. Or have a spokesperson. No communication. In any way. Got it? pic.twitter.com/BCVDjn3SmY
— Matt Viser (@mviser) January 3, 2017
The Trib has a story about how former Police Chief Larry O'Dea is likely to blame his rifle for the April incident in which he mistakenly shot a friend while camping. Apparently the model of gun O'Dea had on hand had been the subject of a manufacturer's warning that it could go off unexpectedly.
Just a couple days after his club's last show, Jimmy Mak's owner Jimmy Makarounis succumbed to cancer yesterday. He'd pushed off a planned move of the club due to his declining health. RIP.
You're right: Gas is more expensive in 2017. At least in Portland, where 10 cents of every gallon you buy is now going to be put toward road work.
“Potentially, this is worse than anything he did in Watergate.” Turns out Richard Nixon worked to scuttle a peace deal in the Vietnam War when he was running for the presidency in 1968. That's long been speculated, but newly discovered handwritten notes appear to confirm it.
Speaking of ill-advised political maneuvers, the NYT looks at how Donald Trump might accomplish his promise of deporting millions of undocumented immigrants: reinstating the workplace raids that were somewhat commonplace under George W Bush, and targeting people who've been charged with very low-level crimes.
At least Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense doesn't like torture?
On the other hand,he's also tapped Don Benton—prominent Vancouver-area Republican lawmaker—to participate in his transition.
What might have been the first traffic death of 2017 appears to have been intentional. Police say it appears that a 54-year-old Portland man intentionally stepped out in front of a semi-truck after parking on the shoulder of I-205 on Sunday.
So damn cold. All week.
