Chaffetz: Won't be 'cheerleader' for Trump

close

Video

What could Trump's 'first day' agenda hold?

Strategy Room: Christopher Hale and Liz Peek weigh in about President-Elect Donald Trump's possible priorities once in the White House

Republicans control Congress, but that doesn't mean President-elect Donald Trump is going to get a pass from one of the Hill's top watchdogs.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, vowed Monday that his role isn’t changing, even though the occupant of the White House is.

“My job is not to be a cheerleader for the president, my job is to hold them accountable, and they do not necessarily like it,” Chaffetz said. “It’s not going to be pleasant sometimes, I’m sure, I’m sure that some people will get frustrated."

Asked specifically about the potential conflicts of interest arising from the vast wealth Trump has amassed from building his business empire, Chaffetz says his chief concern is making sure there is compliance with the law, but added a president is exempt from many of them.

“I didn’t write those laws but that is the reality of it,” he said. “Maybe some of that should be tightened up but it’s not something I’ve dove into.”

Trump is holding a highly anticipated press conference Wednesday he says will clear up these issues.

‎The incoming administration will certainly not be the only focus of the Oversight Committe. Chaffez says there's plenty of work left over from the Obama administration and adds the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email sever -- a focus of his committee's attention last year -- remains a top priority.

“It was potentially one of the largest breaches of security in the history of the State Department. It cannot and should never be repeated again,” Chaffetz said‎. “This was never a political targeting in the beginning, just because there is a political election doesn’t mean it goes away."