Patch Morning Briefing: GOP Votes To Gut Ethics Office; ISIS Claims Turkey Attack; Trump Complains About Book Cover

Good morning, Patchers. It's back to work today after a long holiday weekend for most Americans. Here's what you need to know today.

GOP VOTES TO GUT INDEPENDENT ETHICS OFFICE

The 115th Congress convenes today, Tuesday, with Republicans preparing to take control of the House, Senate and presidency for the first time since 2006. Their first order of business, apparently: to significantly weaken an ethics office that watches over Congressional leaders. In a closed-door meeting late Monday night, House Republicans voted 119 to 74 to strip power from the independent Office of Congressional Ethics — which will now be called the Office of Congressional Complaint Review — and make it a part of the House Ethics Committee, putting power directly into the hands of those it is supposed to hold accountable. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy are said to have opposed the amendment to the House rules package, which is expected to be adopted Tuesday. (Washington Post)

PUT-UP-OR-SHUT-UP TIME FOR REPUBLICANS

After eight years of intense resistance to just about anything and everything President Obama put forward — including sitting on his Supreme Court justice nomination for nearly a year — the GOP is poised to have carte blanche to shape legislation in its favor. The party's base, though, won't be too patient for results. And the GOP will face stiff resistance from a Democratic Party eager to show some fight and, at times, its own president who doesn't always see eye-to-eye with the party's top brass. (The New York Times)

ISIS TAKES CREDIT FOR TURKEY ATTACK; KILLER AT LARGE

ISIS is taking responsibility for the attack at an Istanbul night club that left 39 people dead on New Year's Eve. A statement posted to Twitter called the gunman "a soldier of the brave caliphate." Investigators know what the attacker looks like and have his fingerprints. But he remains at large. (CNN)

DYLANN ROOF FOUND FIT TO STAND SENTENCING

Dylann Roof on Monday was found fit to face sentencing. That phase of his federal trial had been delayed but will now begin Wednesday. The same jury that found Roof guilty of 33 criminal charges, including murder and hate crimes, will decide whether to sentence him to death or life in prison. (The Washington Post)

QUICK HITS

President Obama's Farewell Speech Will Be In Chicago (Patch)

Producers Deny Mariah Carey's Sabotage Claim for New Year's Eve Lip-Sync Fail (Patch)

Watch Live Eagle Cam: Newly Hatched Eaglet Steals The Show (Patch)

THE PRESIDENT-ELECT DOESN'T LIKE THAT PHOTO

12:55pm: I was on @CNN talking about the "Unprecedented" book and Trump's doubts he would win. Then he tweets about both. Coincidences? pic.twitter.com/hvhokeTuuZ
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 2, 2017

At least he spelled it correctly this time. For reference, here is the book cover that was shown on CNN just before Trump's Twitter tantrum:

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FINLAND GIVING AWAY 'FREE' MONEY TO JOBLESS

Can we get in on this? Finland has started a program this year that will give away the equivalent of about $587 per month to 2,000 randomly selected unemployed Finnish people for two years. As part of the social experiment, there are no restrictions on reporting or spending the money. (CBS)

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ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER QUESTIONED

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was questioned by police for nearly three hours Monday evening about possibly receiving illicit gifts and favors from business executives. (The New York Times)

ALABAMA PLAY-CALLER LEAVES TEAM BEFORE NATIONAL TITLE GAME

Lane Kiffin, Alabama's lightning rod of an offensive coordinator, will be Florida Atlantic's head coach next year but still called plays in the Crimson Tide's 24-7 win over Washington in the playoff semifinal Saturday. That arrangement won't carry over into next week's title game re-match against Clemson. Coach Nick Saban says the split was "mutual." People in the know say... otherwise. (Washington Post)

DEREK PARFIT, RENOWNED PHILOSOPHER OF ETHICS, MIND AND METAPHYSICS, DIES AT 74

Patch's Cody Fenwick takes a look at the life of renowned philosopher Derek Parfit, who died over the holiday weekend. Parfit asked profound existential questions such as: Is the person we are at age 10 the same person who exists at age 40? (Patch)

Lead image via Gage Skidmore, Flickr, used under Creative Commons