Yes Congress has oversight authority over Presidential wrongdoing But when hearings are are conducted for partisan political purposes it is a disgrace. What is the evidence that Trump is using his office for personal gain? In reality Trump has probably lost a great deal of money by becoming President. To carry this to its logical absurdity the Congress could work round the clock investigating literally every aspect of Trump's life fishing to find wrongdoing with no evidence that it exists . Perhaps they could next delve into minute details about his marriage or relations with his children There is no evidence that the New Yirk Times is being paid for their non stop anti Trump bias by corrupt democratic congressman but perhaps under this standard the House should open up hearings immediately
10
Trump has surrounded himself with officials he believes will protect him. The irony ( thankfully) will end up being that these same people ( examples include Whitaker, Kushner, DeVos) are so corrupt, self- serving, snarky and frankly stupid, that they will be a large part of Trump's downfall.
36
"Unlimited Presidential Harassment" is what Donald Trump does when he uses his Twitter account.
35
Trump works for us. It's not the other way around. He does not understand this. His supporters don't understand Mussolini or Pol Pot.
34
Just what has Trump done as President that was not in the best interest of the country as he and many others in and out of government see it. Obviously the Dems and the NYT and its readers don't like it.
5
That last paragraph cracked me up. All Trump has is things to hide.
His foreign dealings. His cabinet of crooks. His Moscow hotel. His house of corruption also known as Trump Hotel at the National Post Office. Every. Single. Person. He’s ever worked with (including his children). The fact that he cannot open his mouth without telling a lie (which is the definition of a perjury trap). His lack of interest in anything other than his own image. His stupidity and cupidity when it comes to...well...everything.
How can we tell these things scare him? Check Trump’s Twitter feed. He only goes after things that he cannot handle, deflect or kill. Hence Joe Biden’s newly found nickname. Or the term “presidential harassment”.
Be afraid Donald. Be very afraid.
35
Trump claims that he has been really victimized by 'presidential harassment?' That's rich, considering how he had harassed President Obama about his birth certificate.
36
When an editorial resorts to using the language "nope" you can bet the house that the real answer id "yup."The democrat media led conspiracy to oust Trump from office began before he raised his right hand on 01-20-17. Flynn was set up by Comey who admitted that he sent an agent (The fired Peter Sztrok) to the WH during the transition on a fishing expedition. Why? Because he could. That is scary. The visceral hatred of POTUS and those who voted for him by these leftists is palpable. There was no collusion.There is no collusion. There is no evidence of collusion. The guilty pleas from related "Martha Stewart" type process crimes are the equivalent of spitting on the sidewalk. This is a deep state conspiracy at the highest levels. Time to move on.
5
"The next couple years "
Will "prove vexing"
To American voters !!!!!!!!
We need congress to methodically undo all the departmental damage incurred at each agency in charge of protecting citizens
American voters want full transparency and public hearings
We want regular order using Parliamentary
Procedure and Roberts Rules
And know as we watch testimony we are making judgments about our broken system and getting ready to resist , revolt , organize and vote .
5
It would be nice if one of the president’s lackeys could read this aloud to him sometime over the weekend.
10
Apparently the Republicans have the odd belief that all of us have suffered collective amnesia of their excesses...and Trey Gowdy's hair...and Jim Jordan's locker room...and on and on...
7
Yes discovering the evidence that proves the Trumpovs have committed and continue to commit treason is quite harassing to the culprits. And that's a good thing!
PROSECUTE RUSSIAGATE!
The facts are the facts, nuff said.
7
Has the Times taken an in-depth look at exactly what role Newt Gingrich is playing in all of this?
There is so much about this administration that reeks of his malignant presence.
10
Trump administration is so corrupt that folks from around the world are starting to think the USA is a banana republic.
14
Congress has an Article I legislative branch power and right to exercise oversight checks and balances over the Article II executive branch including the President of the United States.
In the divided limited different power constitutional republic of united states that is the nature of government. And in the two partisan political party America of course politics plays a role.
Donald Trump,Sr. was born and bred and has lived his life as a powerful privileged white male infantile delinquent. His father sent him to military school and it had no impact. Daddy took care of his boy's endless business and life failures and follies. Trump Organization is a one boy show.
15
Oh NOW it's doing its job. Got it.
4
The issues in the US are viewed offshore as very serious for global security where clear choices need to be made with alacrity.
Mr Trump has removed the US from being seen as an influence for good in the world to a state in Civil War arguing over the fruits of affluence.
The banality of billionaires arguing over the records of sexual activity pimped by Mr Pecker are now subject to another appropriate governmet investigation.
Mr Trump is an unfettered autocrat who tweets policy without the consideration of Congress the elected representatives of the American people.
Mr Trump focusses on division and subservience to the impulses (via tweet) of the President.
Mr Trump has maligned:
NATO
Congress
The FBI
US intelligence
The US Reserve Bank
Attorney Generals
White House Generals
The Free Press including NYT and the Washington Post
More importantly Mr Trump has maligned you, the reader of my comment from Australia.
Ensuring free and fair elections should be the focus of the US and ensuring every citizen can vote without the practice of buying votes.
Trump is a sideshow and provides an opportunity to make America the author of its future.
Vote.
30
I LOVE the picture that goes along with this article.
3
It is strange the NYT had the opposite opinion when the Republicans were investigating the Obama administration
6
Someone should print t-shirts with the Nixon quote: “People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook.”
I'd like to see Roger Stone wearing one of these shirts.
13
The performance of Mr. Whittaker speaks for itself and serves as a reveal of what loyalty, values, and the rule of law are taken to mean in the present White House.
This White House operates under a faux banner of heaven, loyalty, and family values. The Cosa Nostra uses the Maddona of Pompeii in a blood initiation ceremony and religion as a spiritual force that determines the most intimate decisions.
Don Peppino Diana, a Catholic priest was murdered by Cammorah clans for transcending the appropriations of the Cammorah and urging the faithful to maintain human dignity.
Don Peppino brought clarity to words, meanings, and values. The Camorrah relied on "family" to enforce absolute "loyalty." In this sense the Camorrah denied any autonomy and coupled with honesty the two are considered betrayal worthy of death.
Source: Gomorrah, Roberto Saviano, an investigative reporter now under government protection.
4
Welcome to your real job mr. president. It must be hard realizing how little you truly know about how OUR Government actually operates. Yes Ms. Pelosi will need to teach the president about adulthood first because his desire to be an effective leader will constantly be in the back seat waiting, for misbehaving on a daily basis. ms. saunders just might have to get his story straight. Grow up sir you only got 2 more years cause when 2020 happens and the senate flips...well sir you ain't seen nothing yet. Play right and you just might get out of this with some small inkling of credibility intact.
8
"the public will feel much more confident in his leadership"
never!
The rapscallion never had any clothes. He never earned a day of respect in his entire life.
13
It was rich listening to the Republican co chair. Collins of Georgia, bemoan the fact that the hearing was a dog and pony show after watching many of the Democrat endless congressional hearings on Benghazi reveal absolutely zero negative on Clinton.
Guys like Collins are world class hypocrites.
17
So the Trumplicans are about to learn a little bit of History. That is, they work for US.
4
The inquisition of Whitaker featured more vitriolic grandstanding than oversight by Democrats.
3
When you consider yourself a monarch and above the law, and you have gotten away with a myriad of crimes in your adult life, you'd consider any legitimate investigation a "witch hunt" or "harassment." Don, doth thou protest too much? Methinks a resounding YES!
15
A proud supporter of the 'Presidential Harassment' Committee.
Keep up the good work.
12
Or, as Richard Nixon put it in 1973, “People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook.”
Trump is not only a crook (with a long, well documented history of crookedness), but also a traitor.
He has been lining his pockets with foreign money as a consequence of sitting behind the Resolute desk.
Special Counsel Mueller and Congress need to dredge up the facts and show them to the American people, and then, as appropriate, impeach, convict, remove from office and prosecute this charlatan.
Make America Great Again - get rid of Trump/Pence and all the feckless Republicans in the House and the Senate.
November 3, 2020 is coming.
8
Socrates taught that the unexamined life was not worth living. Wonder how a previously unaccountable and mendacious con artist like Trump feels about that.
7
"And, so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, ..." I could not stop laughing. Something Michael Che would say. Loved the article.
8
If I remember correctly wasn't it Mitch McConnell that gleefully (literally with a smile on his face) leading the pack of republicans down the hallway to deliver the articles of impeachment on Bill Clinton? Compare a president that was a cad , compared to one that is probably a traitor, where is the republican outrage? We really need to vote these guys out and replace with better choices...
21
Nobody trusts Donald Trump anymore and why? Because he has done absolutely NOTHING to earn the trust of the American people. After two years of lies, after two years of self inflated garbage, after having embarrassed the American people on the world stage on behalf of a hostile foreign power and its leader, Vladimir Putin , after having publicly trashed the intelligence community , after having been named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Southern District of New York , and after having betrayed the oath of office that he took to protect the Constitution and the people of the United States of America, Donald Trump has done nothing to earn the trust of Americans .
Presidential harassment? When a president is this corrupt, dishonest , and is as unfit for office as Donald Trump has shown himself to be, he deserves a lot more than presidential harassment .
12
I recall lots of complaints when Congress was investigating the Clinton’s. They were just doing their job too but Democrats & liberals howled with indignation. It may be Karma but you really should put the hypocrisy away. It’s a bad look.
4
If the President did not act like a thug who is frantically trying to escape the cops by running down a dark alley, meanwhile pulling down trashcans here and there, then he wouldn't look so guilty. And what he doesn't seem to realize is that the cops are faster and smarter than he is, that all of those people that he threw under the bus are going to testify against him, and that at the alley is a thirty-foot chain-link fence with razor wire at the top.
16
The absurd goofiness of oversight as practiced by the Clown Car of progressive Hate-crats is doing more to ensure the GOP holding onto the White House than anything this American President is or isn't doing.
We knew it would be rich viewing, but even the old, haggard Dems are trying to out-crazy the newbies running from building to building looking for Mitch McConnell.
3
As long as he has nothing to hide?
2
So the takeaway here: Congressional investigations GOOD when president is republican, House is democratic. Congressional investigations BAD when president is democratic, House is Republican.
What would we do without such trenchant analysis from the editorial board!?
4
The King of Victimhood from Queens. His threats and insults are all of the same piece. “The buck stops with everybody.” He calls himself a counterpuncher, but all that’s going on is his attempts to protect his fragile ego.
5
"And, so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide . . . "
You owe me. I just spit my second cup of coffee all over my bathrobe.
5
>
The Trump administration is going to get a colonoscopy without anesthesia, and they're not going to enjoy it. Yesterday, was a warning shot of things to come for the rest of them.
The administration has had a free ride for 2 yrs.
Their only defense is to blame the investigators, and it may or may not work as a defense strategy.
One thing is certain, the GOP can and will be able to drag out any findings, judgments, jail time...... for at least two years.
5
America will never be able to criticize other nations as corrupt ... Oh, wait, hypocrisy thy name is America!
3
What a team! Competent? No way...
Real bottom-feeders. Even flounder are found above them as the Trump Team wallow in their own muck. But until we get rid of them, they continue to be our problem.
1
For two years the Rotten to the Core Republicans gave their crook a thumbs-up as well as his Corrupt to the Core cabinet. There is a reason We The People have three branches of government!
8
Trump is a criminal straight up, all you got to do is turn over a couple of Dusty leaves in any house committee and you're going to find the evidence. This guy belongs in jail eating cheese sandwiches three times a day
9
Why does Trump refuses to show his tax returns as every one before him, did.
Is he afraid that, as Al Capone, the taxmen will have him convicted.
If he has nothing to hide, would that be so painfull.
Should not our President be the first to insist on honesty and transparency?
Why would he be above the law. Why would he hide behind so called executive powers and privileges?
6
And what does Trump call his birther witch hunt, patriotic duty?
13
A criminal organization?
It's the only thing "organized" in the trump administration.
7
Tick Tock Baby
13
The Editorial board and many Democrats committed themselves to the Trump Resistance from the day of his election using any means necessary.
To deny "presidential harrassment" is disingenuous and undermines credibility..
As Senator Blumenthal ironically stated
"False in one, false in all"
18
@jck ridiculous. Trump's actions have made it inevitable that any decent person would disagree with him at least some of the time. You must be remembering McConnell's behavior while President Obama was in office and assuming the other side is as immature. They aren't.
21
As opposed to Fox News, Breitbart and Rush Limbaugh, who have been totally fair and balanced and consistently considered all sides of issues. Right.
8
@jck We are protecting the Constitution by removing all those that threaten to destroy it.
6
Mr.Trump enjoyed two halcyon years in the Oval Office when Republicans ignored his disrespect for the office he holds.They could hear no evil,or see no evil as he refused to release tax returns, signed endless executive orders, forbade immigrants to come to the country and separated them from their children at the border, all the while having to replace staff who were caught up in the Mueller probe.Trump’s White House likes to say that “elections have consequences”.They are now seeing the consequence of the 2018. Election when Americans elected Democrats to represent them in the House.The President should stop whining and realize that he cannot diminish the House and its lawful function by sending out disparaging tweets.
239
Mr. Trump's life story is that of one never having to take responsibility for his actions, never being held accountable. When there has been a legal action against him, he has always used a stable of high-powered attorneys to make it all ok again. Often his 'price' has been to pay a fine, which was trifling relative to his wealth. So, yes, I'm sure that it is very new and scary that he cannot hide behind lawyers who tie things up in knots and that the resolution will not be a pocket-change fine. It can't be easy first really coming up against accountability in his 70s. For the rest of us, it's about time.
320
@Anne-Marie Hislope On target as usual. One thing that seems to be missing from his life, Real personal friends.
I doubt he can earn anyone's trust.
38
@Anne-Marie Hislop. Can’t figure out what he’s nervous about. The worst that can happen is impeachment and the Senate will never convict him. So he’s assured of two more years in the house he denigrates. And it can’t be that he’d be embarrassed because the guy hasn’t got a sense of shame in his whole body. It’s clear that this nation has been, and is being, punished by the Republican Party as a whole through voter suppression and gerrymandering for daring to oppose unregulated capitalism. It doesn’t help that so many Americans have assumed that democracy operates on automatic pilot.
61
Sorry, this isn't legal or competent oversight; it is harassment. The job of Congress is passing legislation and giving the nation an annual budget that it can live and prosper on. How are they doing?
9
Those who are against any investigation of the president by Congress must support the autocracy that Trump is trying to establish in the U.S. He wants to be answerable and accountable to no one, with his voice the only one heard--no opposition. He thinks only he is right. He enriches himself and his family at the expense of the government. He aligns himself with countries that are not our allies. He names his inexperienced friends and relatives to government positions. How can any American support such a leader or want that kind of corrupt leadership? It is against everything the U.S. stands for.
28
I don’t suppose that Donald Trump, in 2011, ever paused to consider that his orchestrating the “birther” movement to both discredit and dishonor President Barack Obama fell under the category of “harassment.” No, indeed; malicious badgering is only fun when someone else is the target.
If the current president had anything like a fair-to-average understanding of how the tripartite system of government works, he might have a greater appreciation for the interlocking mechanism our self-governing system of checks and balances works. Maybe.
Before the mid-terms he was protected by the Republicans in the House, especially those who sought to shield him from the prying, searching fingers of Democrats who suspected that his presidency was built upon blocks not entirely home-grown, including, but not limited to, his complex financial schemes that may have origins outside of the law.
In any event, had the president’s behavior and history of dishonesty not been such a clanging attention-getting nuisance, Congress may well have been content to pass off his jarring idiosyncrasies as just noise.
But when Devin Nunes made no serious attempt to conceal his subservience to the president by denying Robert Mueller’s team and duly-elected Democrats to dig beneath the administration’s non-denial denials of Russian “collusion,” he crossed the line from judicial inquiry to slavish devotion and obfuscation.
The president may now be learning how their obsequiousness did him no favors.
464
@Red Sox, '04, '07, '13, ‘18,
Nunes was part of the Trump transition team when most of the nefarious dealings with the Russians occurred. I hope that Mueller is investigating him.
93
@Red Sox, '04, '07, '13, ‘18, It would be really great if House hearings were also able to educate some Senators as to their own appropriate roles. At the moment they are all kow-towing to McConnell as well as to the vicious narcissist in the WH. The politics of resentment is what comes out of the Republican Party, which is amazing given that the party advantages their rich white membership more than anyone else in the nation. You’d think they had the least to be angry about.
51
@Red Sox, '04, '07, '13, ‘18, HRC is the one who said,”check the birth certificate”
4
Keep it simple: remind people constantly that American democracy relies on checks and balances, scrutiny, and no one being above the law.
27
I am most pleased that Ms. Pelosi and other Democrats have taken the time to remind Trump and his voters that Congress is a co-equal branch of government and that it is their Constitutional duty to conduct oversight.
Every time Trump says "My senators..." it puts my teeth on edge, as if Trump believes (and he does) that members of Congress work for him! The hubris and ignorance or such a statement is astounding.
But Trump is getting schooled and we're just at the beginning.
554
@Ralphie Trump's attitude toward the legislature and courts bends strongly in the direction of "L'etat, c'est moi," an attitude which couldn't be more anti-American.
Apologies to my Francophone friends if I botched the phrase.
72
@Ralphie True: but it’s “my generals” that makes my blood run cold. The F word—not the short Anglo-Saxon one—the Latin one. Fascism.
51
@Ralphie
Trump may be getting schooled but I doubt he's going to graduate.
38
Trump has built his entire career on his unshakeable belief that he is never wrong. Facts do not matter. Results do not matter. His success was based on his spin as reported by many in the media who were mesmerized by his guile and charm. But that is not how the Presidency works. The Constitution is bigger than Trump. Whether he likes it or not. He cannot spin his way out of accountability. He cannot fire Nancy P. Be prepared Mr. President.
594
@Milton Lewis
Trump has never been accountable to anyone for his entire 72 years on the planet. It is all new to him and a long, long, long time coming. Maybe he can grow from the experience or did the window on that possibility close when he was seven?
54
Well, President Trump is complaining again. He could have save all this troubles and investigations by Congress by doing to very simple things:
1) Follow the nonwritten rule that presidential candidates release their tax return. Which by the way he promised that he will; and by
2) just telling the truth to Congress and the American people.
13
Oversight is a simple function of government. It's not a conspiracy any more than a health inspector is conspiring against meat. If the meat is rotten, it has to go. If it's not, it gets to stay. Same goes for Presidents.
752
@Jeffrey Gillespie
Well said Sir !!! But it won't matter to Trump cult members in or out of government. They are willing participants in an assault on democracy. I doubt they don't don't understand this simple fact, they just don't care.
30
@Jeffrey Gillespie but if you have paid off the government (called campaign contributions, I think) to allow you to sell that meat, and you are still getting inspected, you do complain.
21
There are 2 years left to this corrupt presidency. It will not be enough time to convict him. What will happen is that Trump will ride out his term, damage the country more and walk away without being held accountable for all he's done. Most of the public will say good riddance and try to erase him from their memories like a bad dream. Maybe some his lackeys will be convicted, but not him.
4
I can not imagine the time when the general public "will feel much more confident in his leadership".
Donald Trump is an ego and money driven malignant narcissist who maintains an "executive time" indifference to and disregard for not only the office he holds but the people he is supposed to serve.
Being POTUS is Trump's greatest branding exercise. He has admitted that he is a greedy man. And being POTUS has fed that massive black hole that is his ego.
He screams out every morning 'Look at ME'! Plans his days to capture the day's news cycle. And then has the hubris to say " but don't look over there".
Burrowing into the Oval Office with once again ascendent Jared and Ivanka as the few remaining trustworthy aides, Trump is being confronted with how government really should work. Too bad he doesn't like it.
Trump's big red line, his taxes, must hold information that if revealed would hurt him very badly. What will he do to keep them secret? That is the scariest question out there because he is a mean and vengeful man.
11
Its simply a waste of time to attempt explaining to our demagogue POTUS the difference between oversight and harassment, and its somewhat puzzling why, if he and his administration are doing what they were elected or appointed to do, Mr. Trump should spend time whining, blaming and denigrating congress for doing their jobs. Congress should take a long hard look at the doings of Pruitt, Ross, DeVos. Mnuchin et al. as their performance ( and inexcusable abuse of their power in many instances) merits justifiable oversight and straight answers.
11
Given it is apparent that the entire investigation was a political hit job by the Democrats and corrupt government officials attempting to rig an election and then remove a sitting President, it seems a stretch to imply this is ordinary oversight.
The Democrat approach to harassing Trump goes against the basic fundamentals of our society.
Democrats have convinced themselves that Trump is bad, they just need some evidence. They tried the fake Trump Russia collusion nonsense fairy tale, and that was a dry hole. They are now at the point of wanting to investigate his entire life in the hopes of finding something, anything.
We are not a nation that investigates people without evidence of a crime. We do not allow the government to be used by partisans to investigate political enemies due to their politics.
Democrats have greatly overstepped in their corruption of the last election and their harassment of a sitting President - amounting to an attempted coup.
The good news is, there are still some actual reporters out there and the truth is slowly but surely, in all it’s disgusting glory, coming to light.
5
Trump protests the investigations like a man who has something to hide. Eventually his business entanglements with Saudi Arabia and Russia will be exposed. We will see that his actions or lack thereof with respect to these (and other) countries have been guided by his money interests there. The attempted extortion of Bezos by the National Enquirer will be another window into the massive criminality of the Trump business empire, revealing yet more fraud and hidden obligations with the Sauds that influence his policy toward them. Ultimately it will be shown that this is the most corrupt and criminal president in the country's history.
18
I completely disagree. While I am no Trump fan, its wrong to simply support oversight while implying that the political behavior surrounding these investigations is disgraceful, if not hypocritical by comparison. People who have any common sense can understand the bias in this editorial boards position suggesting that republican behavior surrounding questions regarding Ms Clintons behavior, the AG and FBI, and the last administrations FISA debacle is somehow less legitimate by comparison. It’s not just insulting, its embarrassingly partisan.
The recent grilling of an interim AG was just humiliatingly puerile— the democrats were disgraceful in their questioning.
Look in the mirror, the rest of the country is.
7
Republicans never bothered to hold this president accountable for anything so now it's convenient for him to whine about overreach. Only now does he realize that there are checks and balances in American government. One-party rule suited him grandly but now the bully claims that he's being picked on.
Harassment was what Hillary Clinton was subjected to after two marathon Congressional hearings that absolved her of any wrongdoing. Republicans conducted those public inquisitions of Secretary Clinton with the sole purpose of destroying her.
It seems to be okay for a Republican oversight committee chairman to be a pit bull (Jason Chaffetz) but unfair for Democrats to ask questions of their elected leaders.
12
What was ridiculous and partisan was the Republican-led House's failure perform their constitutional responsibility and hold this *president accountable for the last two years. This dereliction of duty was one of the major reasons as to why they are no longer in the majority.
14
It still boggles the mind that Republicans can be so transparently hypocritical in howling about the misuse of government oversight. Time and again, they have demonstrated that constitutional principles and our system of checks and balances have no meaning if their hold on power is threatened. Yet they are all too willing to misuse that power to the point of trampling the constitution in an effort to undermine or discredit opponents.
This is why simply defeating Trump isn’t enough . . . the cancer is bone deep. The GOP’s continued defense of its Faustian bargain with a demagogue will earn it chapters in history books . . . hopefully along with explanations as to why the party became extinct.
17
Less talk more action. Actions speak louder than words. Democrats need to simply "go for it". Congress has a job to do and they have many capable people charged with doing it. Trump is a grifter who surrounded himself with grifters...We are all sick of him, it, and them.
10
The analogy between Trump and 2-yr olds and daycare and sandboxes holds perfectly.
Trump spent his whole business life living like an unsupervised 2-yr old. His businesses were wholly owned, with no supervision by a board of directors or the necessity of public disclosures. Trump learned that he could get away with virtually anything as long as he had rich lawyers to bail him out and money to pay people off.
Trump moved on to the Presidency and found that job to be identical to his private business. He got no supervision from Congress and ruled by temper tantrum, making threats, and figuratively throwing sand around in his sandbox. He was even aided and abetted in his lack of supervision by such scoundrels as Rep Nunez who helped create cover-ups.
So just like a 2-yr old, Republicans "trained" him to believe that he was an emperor, beyond reproach and above the law.
So of course, when Democrats start to reestablish Constitutionally and legally justified controls, Trump feels harassed, because his whole life and 2 years as President were completely unsupervised.
Unfortunately for Donald, he's only seeing the tip of the iceberg of the supervision and repercussions from his unsupervised 2 year orgy.
17
We are strapped into one of the most outrageous 'leaders' this nation has ever seen, and someone is surprised that we want to get a better view of his machinations? The absolutely ridiculously scathing attacks on the environmental protections and foresight that many modern presidents (from Nixon to Obama) have worked to enshrine tell us why we must determine what really drives this 'leader' we have so questionably elected, under even more questionable measures.
When a 'leader' uses populist diatribe to enthrall an undemanding segment of the nation -- while hiding his real personal tax posture -- it is natural that people who actually care about the country will want to see more.
When the supposed 'leader' desires to hold the governmental workforce hostage in order to gain 'deals' he can brag about in shock campaign stunts -- yes, we should all ask for more information about this person's dealings.
This is our planet, and when we pretend we are are its leaders, we have more imperative than anyone to protect it, not squander it for our own short-term, cheap pseudo-wealth images.
12
Trump seems to have two strategies to foil investigative oversight. He commits criminal acts brazenly in plain view so that there is nothing to investigate. This causes people to believe that his conduct must not actually be criminal because no one would be that stupid. Secondly, he and his administration commit so many criminal acts that a thorough investigation, besides being nearly impossible, inevitably has the appearance of overreach.
8
Despite his complaints as investigations are conducted, the president can either submit or commit acts of further obstruction. This will lead to more scrutiny of his dealings.
It’s laughable that his supporters rise to condemn the much awaited oversight by Congress, when as you point out, they seemed to gleefully pursue charges that never were borne out to be true against President Obama.
I had forgotten about Issa until you mentioned his mad dog antics as a committee leader. What did it get him? Relegated to the dustbin of history, where he belongs.
7
The Democrats don't need to convince all of us of the seriousness of the illegality, treason and corruption that has occurred they just need to convince a small percentage of the 90% of Republicans that still support the administration. When individuals testifying are allowed to get away with treating the process as a joke or overtly express their contempt for the committee and the investigators the optics are terrible. It would appear that better preparation is required before having these hearings rather that delivering a message that these hearings are not to be respected; once credibility is lost it's hard to get it back.
3
Shouldn't they also add Mitch McConnell to their oversight, and his wife. Some huge conflicts of interest, no?
12
And the list goes on. It seems inconceivable that nearly everybody around Trump is corrupt and he isn't !
8
Lots of comments about how folks think Trump "deserves" this. Not a single comment citing any proof that this investigation is warranted.
Muellers sole job, and his 12 partisan lawyers, was to investigate Trump. They haven't found a shred of proof of any wrongdoing by Trump.
Where is the grounds for this investigation? If Mueller couldn't find anything, Adam Schiff will?
5
Trump is the last person who should be complaining about harassment. He is the embodiment of harassment.
5
If the tone and behavior of the Dem interrogators yesterday on multiple trivial points is any indication, the Dems will be as ham-handed and repulsive as the Repubs have been in exercising their oversight responsibility. Does anybody in Washington remember the polite and persistent performance of "Senator Sam" Ervin on the Watergate Committee? Or of Joe Welch's "oversight" interrogation of Senator Joe McCarthy in the 1950s? If you don't, dial up the documentary "Point of Order" on the web. Not everybody can be a Joe Welch, but you don't have to be an indignant interrupter either. Democratic Congressmen and women are NOT the judges. The judges are the public-they are the decision makers. Ask your questions; make your record. Be polite but persistent.
5
The hearing for Whittaker was a joke. It was suppose to be oversight of DOJ but only two of twenty-six Democrats queried about something other than the Mueller investigation and what he told Trump. Admittedly, Whittaker was not up to leading the DOJ and was just a caretaker. But the Dems acted "harrasingly" not as "overseers."
2
After two years in office the president evidently has yet to realize he was elected to an position wherein he is accountable to others, likely for the first time in his life. Growing up wealthy, pampered and surrounded by a well paid staff that reinforced his illusion of being the center of the universe has served him poorly in his current role. His robust exclamations of “Me...me...me” have given way to the pathetic whining of “Poor me...poor me...poor me”. Perhaps one day soon he will understand that President of the United States is not the ideal first job you’ve ever had.
4
Our government has been horrible ever since they decided to participate in forcing everyone into world destroying global capitalism. When many citizens decided they would accept simpler lives in order to try to save the future for their children and humanity, our evil politicians globalized the economy, reducing wages and forcing people to work more for the same money, so more would be forced to spend their lives being miserable doing that, and make the billionaires richer.
2
Donald Trump seeks to gloss over his corruption by citing the "economic miracle" he claims to have delivered. Well, here's the "miracle" Trump's economy has delivered to our retired, fixed-income household: a LOSS of over 3% to our nest egg over the last year. Over two years, we've barely kept up with inflation.
The last time our savings saw such a swoon was when Republican Bush II crashed our economy.
Now we've learned that from the day Trump took office, he and his family were already stealing from chumps like us by chiseling the government at his inaugural -- which cost twice as much as the next highest president's.
The rest of Trump's slime trail is hard to ignore... his family's documented history of tax cheating... Russian money laundered from Trump Tower... Trump University... a fraudulent foundation... his refusal to reveal his tax returns... a refusal to fully divest his personal business as president... placing family members at the highest levels of government... without any doubt, investigators have a target-rich environment.
Presidential harassment? Not in the least. This is transparency and justice. It's time for all of us to demand Republicans in congress to stop protecting this corrupt and greedy con man. Enough is enough.
2
Look at this way, if Hillary Rodham Clinton had been elected the nation would be going through the same thing, as Republicans would be digging into Clinton Foundation corruption and the Uranium One Russian sell out. With Clinton, the nation would not have gotten tax reform, probably higher taxes, the economy would have continued to sputter along, welcome signs would have posted along the border, and ultra-liberal judges would have been appointed the Federal bench and Supreme Court. Also, the Left must remember that what goes around comes around, so whenever a Democrat returns to the White House, which I and other Americans hope never, they will get the same scrutiny and politics will remain in gridlock. I support the President! I support Trump! America First! MAGA! Thank you.
3
If we attack each individual charge with 99% of the ferocity of the Benghazi investigations, the Cons, by their own example, cannot object and must approve.
Welcome to the most accountable office in the land, Tiny Trump.
5
So to be clear, the next time a Democrat is elected President, it is okay to immediately open a special counsel, 100% Republican, based on unproven research paid for by the Democrat President's political opposition. It will go on for years and taxpayers will spend millions. When that fails, Congress can go after the Democrat President, his family, friends, and acquaintances for any potential crime, reaching back decades. If that brings nothing, charge with process crimes to make it look like Democrat President is surrounded by criminals.
Just so we know the rules. Precedent is everything.
4
"This is precisely how it works — how it has to work, in fact. "
And this is precisely why this man MUST be impeached. I continue to struggle with the quixotic, well-intentioned but dangerous liberal impulse to hesitate about implementing the laws of the land.Historians are not going to exercise the same impulse for applauding amelioration, accommodation, equivocation, and apologias for criminal wrongdoing. I strongly suspect that they will conclude what is self-evident...anyone not calling for impeachment at this point is complicit in his crimes.
This man has committed financial crimes, tax fraud, broken fair housing policy,stolen from a charity, ruined five business, money laundered, hired undocumented workers, is in flagrant breach of the Emoluments Clause (an impeachable offense on its own) and has been logged lying more than 6,000 times in two years, none of them inconsequential.
He has rigged, reneged, and ruined businesses, alliances, and institutions. The very fact that he deems lawful and necessary investigations as "harassment" reveals his stunning ignorance of all things judicial, democratic, and patriotic. The man is fit for no office much less the highest in the land. We do NOT need the Mueller report to know he is toxic.
I have yet to hear pundits or journalists voice a full awareness of how truly dire this situation is. To not impeach this man normalize crimes and misdemeanors of epic magnitude. Not impeaching him institutionalizes criminality.
6
Politicians, please fight for us powerless people who are suffering from watching all this corruption. We can only call, write letters and comments, protest and hope that our misery is properly addressed.
4
"Exposing corruption and malfeasance in the Trump administration promises to be a heavy lift." Au contraire. The corruption and malfeasance has been exposed. It has been exposed mainly by the unfit fraud in the white house. He has leaked more information out about his own malfeasance and corruption, than a russian submarine leaks water.
3
It's unfornate Trump isn't under a gag order regarding the investigation. He has undermined the legitimacy, twisted facts into fiction, played a victim of persecution and polarized the country. All this while he reads no briefings and assumes no responsibility as an acting president.
We don't investigate people we investigate crimes.I'm glad my son in law is not like Trump but the Democrats are trying to made Trump's life miserable.
1
I certainly wouldn't want the House, under Pelosi, to engage in the kind of shenanigans that visited the Benghazi and Clinton email server hearings upon the Obama administration, but the Republicans don't have a leg to stand on. Their outrage and indignation will decompose in the dustbin of history.
1
The Democrats must use the hearings to find facts, which may resemble tooth extraction or root canal, but not grandstanding. Questions for hostile Administration witnesses must be concise, well crafted and to the point. Questioners should anticipate their follow up inquiries.
But if the Democrats use the tired tactic of using the wind-bag speech to ask a rhetorical question, they will lose public support.
3
It’s beginning to look like this “oversight” has turned into a partisan “witch hunt.”
3
Editorial board it is The Con Man in Chief who denies the legal facts and the Senate Politburo Majority leader and his band of republican enablers who fail to perform their legal mandate to protect our country from enemies foreign and domestic(Trump).
2
Regarding Congressional hearings...when the Republicans do it, it's called oversight, when the Democrats do it, it's called harassment. The gall, hypocrisy and obviousness of the Republicans are astounding. The GOP must think the American people are really stupid.
3
Every graduate from elementary and high school should be required to pass reading comprehension tests simply and only on what is actually written in the constitutions of the United States and the State in which a student resides.
1
Trump continually confuses being president with being king and not a modern day king but like from the 15th century!
The recent allegations of past misbehavior by politicians in Virginia, shows that we need the same continuous high level of scrutiny of all politicians. Or do you want to exclude those who you like?
2
"Exposing corruption and malfeasance in the Trump administration promises to be a heavy lift."
Perhaps the Editorial Board would like to explain to us why this is such a heavy lift? Could it be that the main reason it is so heavy is because the NY Times (along with the bulk of the media) failed to do it's job during the 2016 campaign?
Instead of worrying about the 'heavy lift' how about adding some leverage for the lifters by covering the total corruption of the Trump/GOP agenda.
3
Did Republicans have to write an op-ed about how they were so nice to Obama and only doing their jobs? As long as the useless Liberal media spends all our days chasing Republican lies thrown out to distract, I will say America is a mediocre banana republic and its 4th estate is complicit.
1
Trump simply doesn't get it. Nothing. None of it.
2
I wonder, down the road, what Trump's exit strategy is going to be? He never got his hotel in Moscow, I wonder where he'll flee to?
1
The good news is history is ever present, watching and recording. For someone who consciously took on a public role like the Presidency, Me Trump ought to be prepared for scrutiny of what he eats wears speaks tweets whispers what he does with his executive time, whom does he talk to privately publicly. Everything is recorded. And even the richest man Jeff Besoz whose private life was made unfairly public, is not immune to the 21st century gadgets of hyper surveillance hyper vigilance, globally. A word uttered in the bathroom confines of the White House, is loudly heard in the opposite corner of the earth (China? Russia?).
3
"And, so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, the public will feel much more confident in his leadership once some of the more disturbing questions have been answered."
Did Jonathan Swift write that line?
5
Thank you, NYT Editorial Board, and
Speaker Pelosi for stating what needed
to be said about how our free and
democratic government actually works.
Encouraged and hopeful, at long last,
that kindness, common sense and the rule of law
are coming back.
14
To Trump, oversight is looking at the wonderful view from one of the properties he owns. From those perches, he is the king of all that he surveys. Everything has always started and stopped with him, unless he defaulted and was stopped by his lenders.
Trump has never understood that there are two sides to every story, or that fact lives matter. He believes only what he wants to, and dismisses as "fake" anything that he doesn't.
Another thing he never understood, because he never cared to do so, is how government works. His entire management experience, if one can call it that, is derived from inheriting a lot of money and playing with it, while running a privately held family company in autocratic fashion. He knows nothing else, and doesn't care to. He pledges allegiance only to himself, and apparently doesn't even know the words to the Pledge of Allegiance.
Ergo, he is running the federal government in exactly the same fashion as he ran his business, determined to do so surrounded by incompetent and unqualified family members and cabinet officials, cosseted by their inherited money, oblivious and disinterested in learning, while spending other people's money.
Presidential harassment? Nope? Unless you're referring to Trump's harassment of those who disagree with him.
29
Uhm.... It is harassment. Plain and simple.
However it's the type of harassment that is expected, President Trump being the President of the United States and, thus, a politician. It's also completely legal as it does fall under the jurisdiction of Congress and is an important part of the balance of powers between the three legs of our government.
But it's just another example of how far our political system has deteriorated over the decades. Prior to President Clinton these types of queries/investigations were somewhat limited in nature and focused on real problems. But that all changed with the investigations during his presidency. Many were trivial and absolutely meaningless in the scheme of things. His affair with Ms Lewinsky? That's a matter between he and his wife and Ms Lewinsky. So it's fair to say that the Republicans can be blamed for pushing the country down the hyper partisanship exit on the highway of life.
But that does not absolve the Democrats from their complicity in keeping the country on that vector. Their payment in kind has just propelled us further down that ruinous road.
10
Excellent analysis but I think it goes back further. This is just one more battle in the Watergate war. Democrats have been ‘outraged’ ever since and then their outrage turned to loathing following Reagan’s success. The GOP got its revenge with Clinton’s follies. Neither side now can see above it all.
4
Every single day he has members of his administration pleading guilty to something. And you think this is harassment? I am horrified at the basic lack of understanding so many people have over this issue. This isn’t payback. This isn’t harassment. This is Congress doing its job. Harassment was what happened to President Obama. This man is a grifter and he is in charge of our country. Thank GOD for a congress that is finally doing its job.
3
@Mark
I happen to think that any vestige of truth found the accusations that a foreign adversarial government had something to do with the U.S. presidential elections is not only a "real threat" to our Democracy, but worthy of investigation.
Besides, if nothing is there -- this president has nothing to fear, does he?
3
One only need to look at the results of the 2018 Midterms. The new House majority was voted in to conduct oversight on this corrupt administration. When pundits comment that the Oversight Committee needs to “tread lightly” they should do so with trepidation. The people want a check on Trump, and that’s exactly what they’ll get.
25
@Suzanne
And the evidence of corruption by Trump that warrants this investigation?
Usually it takes some sort of proof to launch an congressional investigation.
Mueller didn't come up with any.
But theres gotta be something sompleace, right?
3
@Suzanne
“The people” can only get what the Constitution gives them. Congressmen are supposed to be legislators, not “President harassers.”
1
Matthew Whitaker’s five minutes are up
". . And, so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, the public will feel much more confident in his leadership once some of the more disturbing questions have been answered"
WHAT leadership?
14
The illustration accompanying the article is unfortunate. Congressional oversight is an institutional, and not a Party, obligation. It’s the misuse of partisan warfare that has undermined the Congress’ legitimate credibility and power.
15
@Georgina
Mind you, before 2019, with a Republican majority in Congress, there was no oversight, even as an institutional obligation, to be found! So the illustration might be correct!
3
There was plenty of oversight, just no results. The misdeeds of the 1990’s and again from 2009-2016 should have landed many behind bars.
2
@Alan You mean the results weren’t what you wanted them to be.
An investigation can end with the conclusion that there was no evidence of intentional wrongdoing. That is a result.
2
It was obvious to anyone paying attention that Donald Trump and the Russians were working hand in glove in October of 2016 to get him elected. I can't understand why it has taken so long for Mueller to report that fact to the American people.
If Mueller is not going to indict this President and prevent him from harming our national security any further, then the Democrats in Congress will have to do the job.
12
There are vanishingly few people in elective office who are free of the corrosive influence of money and self-interest. The goal of holding office is to continue to hold office and the "public interest" no longer is a consideration. Where are the "Mr. Smiths"? What happened to the faded shreds of idealism? The first priority is always lining one's pockets, being cosy with money and preparing a lucrative retirement on K Street. OK, let's build that dam on Willow Creek.
13
Congress’ job under the Constitution is to pass laws, not conduct endless investigations, and certainly not to harass the Executive branch and prevent it from doing its job.
The day is coming soon when executive officers will simply ignore Congressional subpoenas and refuse to answer questions. What then will Congress do? It has no enforcement powers, no officers with guns to do its will.
11
@Greg--Congress does not need guns. It has the force of the constitution behind it, which extends Congress the power to investigate and the power to compel cooperation with an investigation.The Supreme Court has affirmed these powers. A person refusing to cooperate with Congress will be held in contempt of Congress, which is a criminal offense with a penalty at not less than one month nor more than twelve months in jail and a fine of not more than $100,000.
18
Perhaps the president could stop wasting a little less time during his private “executive time” and actually do some work. Or maybe get off of the twitter? That may be why he gets nothing accomplished. Or perhaps it’s because I he is hands down the most incompetent man to sit in the Oval Office. But of course asking him to answer about his incredibly suspicious and potentially illegal activities is harassment. When he’s done stealing from this country and we all sat back and watched what will you say when it’s over? Why didn’t we do something? He is surrounded by criminals going to jail everyday. Are you? Am I? Are we not known by the company we keep? Please. I’m sure you thought what happened to President Obama was just fine. You people on the right have lost all basic common sense.
2
And who is going to prosecute those people? Justice Department attorneys appointed by the President and serve at his pleasure?
1
And who oversees Congress, an institution in which people have even less confidence than the Presidency?
15
@QED
Perhaps no confidence is partly because of Issa, and obstructionist McConnell who has done nothing but rename post offices, pass a horrendous tax bill and confirm too many conservative judges.
Congress has always been on the low end of the pole, but this past congress sets a really low bar. Hopefully this new split version will be an improvement.
15
@QED A careful reading of "The Federalist Papers" might answer your question, "Who oversees Congress?" It's noteworthy that people who have minimal confidence in the Congress seem determined to keep re-electing incumbent Congressfolk.
5
Perhaps the democratic majority congress can change this feeling from when the incompetent republicans were running it. Let’s hope for the best. I too lost all faith in republicans to get anything real and useful accomplished.
2
We'll see in due time whether this Democratic House of Representatives is interested in the oversight of the affairs of the Executive Branch or in pursuing personal vendettas against Donald Trump.
There is more than enough that needs investigation in the workings of our departments, agencies, and bureaus with the aim of providing meaningful legislation to make our governing institutions work better. Immigration law and policy is one area that deserves focused attention. Corporate welfare is another. The efficacy of and duplication of services is yet another.
Politically motivated fishing expeditions have left Congress with the image of an organization that has lost its way and its members with the public view that they are more interested in being the lead stories of the evening cable broadcasts than they are in serving the interests of The People and the Nation.
Congress needs to tread carefully. The public's patience is wearing thin.
10
The Owl,
Congress can provide necessary oversight and legislate at the same time.
The Constitution requires that they do both.
And the results of the 2018 midterms prove that the American people want oversight of this president and his corrupt administration.
3
@The Owl
After 2 years of Mueller, where is the evidence that warrants such an investigation?
What if I were an IRS agent and said that you cheated on your taxes?
Your reply would be - prove it, right?
What if my reply was, well, thats what oversight and investigations are for.
Wouldn't that shudder your confidence, just a bit?
4
Pffft!
Please you have to warn us to finish our coffee before reading your editorials. "As long as Trump has nothing to hide"? What else could it be when he tells a new version of the same story when the old version stops working? There are so many things Trump is hiding, it's doubtful we'll find them all.
Make no mistake about Trump's reaction to the Democrats. His focus is on escaping accountability. His experience fighting thousands of law suits has prepared him so well for this challenge one can see the signs of smug confidence being projected as easily as one can see signs of panic. It doesn't matter. We're past the point of ever being able to feel confident about Trump's leadership. Most of us recognize that he is a con man. So while the next couple of years may prove vexing for those of us who believe removing Trump from office will prove to have been the appropriate thing to do, we should focus on the big picture. The sooner we get over the issue of what to do about Trump, the sooner we can get to work on cleaning up the damage that he has caused.
76
@Rusty Carr
Do you have any proof to back up your assertions? Especially that hes a con man?
Con men cant build skyscrapers all over the world, especially the 4th tallest in the US.
Trump expresses concern that the constitutional oversight by the House may distract him from performing his duties as President. Oddly Trump who led the bizarre birther campaign against Obama never worried about the distraction factor for Obama.
50
@Milton Lewis
Distraction from what? Golfing? Watching TV? What a fraud.
2
If trump didn't want to be held accountable, he should not have run for the job, it comes with the territory.
61
Right! I have been saying this since he got elected. Trump, with his vast ego, pathological greed and (assumed) encouragement from Russia, voluntarily put himself on the world’s biggest stage. His history of being Teflon Don didn’t allow him to realize that being on that stage would lead to serious, continued focus on his corrupt shenanigans by those who could do him damage. That degree of hubris ... and stupidity...is remarkable.
8
So the WH narrative is that candidate trump was so disconnected from his own campaign that he had no idea that almost everyone in it was in contact with Russian operatives. So why, when they are caught, isn't he thanking the FBI, and outraged at the people who deceived him?
Similarly, trump promised to clean up the swamp. So why isn''t he content to allow these investigations to conclude and if there is no malfeasance fine, if there is, he can thank the Democrats for helping him to clean the swamp.
62
@John P
Well, the goal wasn't genuinely to clean up the swamp, ...rather, to add dirt and other suspect effluvia, odoriferous liquids of questionable origin, and remarket it as a sty. Admittedly, as sties go, it is an impressive sty.
The Oinkster has much to be proud of...
4
Unlimited Presidential Harassment is a apt term for what Trump has been doing to America, to our democratic norms and to common decency, since the day he took office. Hardly a day goes by that he does not take to Twitter with the goal of demeaning others and sowing lies, misinformation and division advantageous only to himself. Congress could not match him if it tried, but they should have a go at it nevertheless.
103
“It’s our congressional responsibility, and if we didn’t do it, we would be delinquent in our duties.”
Yes, delinquent in their duties is an accurate characterization of the Republican Congress for the last two years. They never held the present administration responsible and shut down avenues of inquiry that appeared too likely to uncover graft and corruption - not to mention collusion - by the executive branch. None of their actions or inaction was in the public interest.
The whole GOP forgets that while the plutocrats may put them in power, the pledge they take is not to their benefactors. It is to the public who elect them.
47
@nora m...
Delinquent in their duties is an apt description of Congress for much of my sixty years as a participant in our democracy.
Let me ask you an important question for which I hope you will give an honest answer:
Just how much of the "Green New Deal" do you think this Congress, or even the next four, is going to be willing to pass into law.
And once you've answered that question, tackle these one with the same degree of honesty:
Just how much of the passed legislation will receive the signature of the President?
Is a Congress unable to pass legislation that can make it into law one that is actually resolving the issues of the day and being responsible?
3
@The Owl it is the job of Congress to represent their constituents. Not to write bills they know the president will sign.
If the president chooses not to sign legislation backed by the people then he is failing his responsibility.
18
@The Owl
"Just how much of the "Green New Deal" do you think this Congress, or even the next four, is going to be willing to pass into law."
Not enough.
"Just how much of the passed legislation will receive the signature of the President?"
More after Trump is gone.
You have an odd notion of democratic politics if you think it is irresponsible to advocate anything that is not already easily done.
9
Republicans have traditionally aimed much contempt at the very idea of a Federal government and will sabotage it to prove that it does not work, often by appointing under-qualified people to agencies that they don't feel should even exist. That alone justifies oversight. And can you imagine what we would be seeing if the situation were reversed and Hillary Clinton was president? "Presidential harassment" would be a laughable understatement
46
@Buoy Duncan I believe that if Clinton had won election, Republicans would have begun the process of impeachment on her first day in office.
1
The Democrats have learned nothing.
They campaigned on "green energy", higher taxes, programs for education, programs for the homeless, greater working benefits.
They have achieved all zero of these things. They are mesmerized by Trump. Meanwhile, we get less regulation, lower taxes, more and more judges, better border security, a higher stock market and more jobs. GOP wins.
Trump has successfully distracted them all.
8
@Jerome
The Democrats have not been in a position to pass the kind of legislation that is focused on the needs of the country. Green energy will be music to your ears after the weather this summer will likely bring. You are in Vermont, which is probably geographically safer than most of the rest of the country, so you may not be effected personally and will ignore it.
As for less regulation, well, that is fueling the extreme weather we experience. If you are getting lower taxes, you are in the upper brackets, and we are supporting you. The judges are reactionaries, so you probably do like them but it is called "packing the courts". Better border security will result from the items generated by the House, not a wall that can be and is tunneled under. The stock market quakes ever more frequently from the willy-nilly foreign policy of the administration and the jobs are contract work and low-pay serve sector, nothing you can hope to escape.
"The GOP wins." What is this, a sports team? What happened to the country's best interest? Quaint, one supposes.
36
@Jerome
I certainly know one person he has distracted!
1
@Jerome,
Nice try, but you’re wrong.
1
Hubris or ignorance, willful or otherwise?
One or the other must explain how Trump fails to see or understand what's happening today. From his endless witter harangues, bait and switch campaign promises of better health care and protection of social programs, and the unabashed greed and missteps of his appointees, no one's come even close to holding him to account. The energy his team puts into spin could power a small city. Nothing ever has to do with him or is his responsibility, even as are exposed.
Does he lash out from frustration or fear? It probably doesn't matter. While I despair that he'll ever face justice in the way he deserves, perhaps we can take comfort watching him become increasingly isolated and ineffectual as the Mueller and House investigations expose his delusions of being a master manipulator.
25
The fact that this president needs to be educated by the house speaker about HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS is in itself shocking. So much time and energy have been wasted as a result of DJT’s ignorance, it’s incredible. I think we will all look back on this presidency and marvel at the many wasted opportunities we had to make progress in terms of infrastructure, job retraining, health care, immigration reform and so many other things. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: this man has NO BUSINESS being in the White House, and I hope we all learn from this that we need someone who not only has a desire to learn and collaborate, but also has the basics of government. This is not the Trump organization. I hope we find a way to get this ignorant egomaniac out of office sooner than later.
58
Trump is the child who always leaves his room a mess. When asked to clean up his room, he says to his parents "I did". But the parents suspect that doesn't make sense because Trump is always in the living room playing video games. So the parents hire Republican nannies to make sure Trump has cleaned his room. Trump hears them on the phone engaged in suspect behavior and tells them he will ruin their nanny reputation if they don't cover for him. So the Republican nannies throw the loose items in the doorway back in the room, lock the door, and say to Trump's parents "he did a nice job cleaning up today". A new set of Democratic nannies convinces Trump's parents they can do a better job so they get hired and the Republican nannies get fired. And the first thing they do is go to Trump's door to open it and have a look. But they find it locked, The smell coming from the room is appalling and worrisome. So they hire a locksmith and many cleaners because they have the sense the conditions behind the door are so bad, extreme measures are needed. While out in the living room, video game controller in one hand, Trump is lying on the floor, pounding the carpet with his free hand, screaming at his parents: "They have no business going in my room. They are invading my privacy. I told you I cleaned the room. Who are you going to believe: Them or me?". And his friends and their parents start calling saying "He's a good kid, leave him alone. Sums it up.
32
I'm not a registered voter but it I was I would be a republican based on my belief that people should be self sufficient. Disclosure aside, it is amazing that the Republicans have the audacity and shamelessness to complain about investigations when they have done so much to smear the presidencies of the last two democrats. Monica Lewinsky, the birthers, Benghazi (what a joke), and so many more. Sadly, the democrats are doing the same thing to a lesser extent, all to the detriment of the people. Both sides should have a requirement of predication, that is, a true basis for investigation or be deemed an enemey of the people so to speak. I have always believed that the Republicans are better than the dems at dirty tricks and further, that they put power ahead of their obligation to govern effectively. The dirty tricks started years ago with the smear of Jim Wright and Newt Gingrich, the ultimate hypocrite, was at the forefront. THe people should try the parties in charge with derelection of these campaigns with derelection of duty and throw them out of office. That the people do not punish them is a statement about how many intelligent people there are out there working to deceive them and to do so effectively. Sad.
4
The more questions he answers honestly--if it is even possible for #45 to not lie under oath--the less confident the public will be in his administration.
#45 has been involved in criminal activity since he was 3--not at all his fault but his father's for avoiding taxes by gifting his son. His inheritance, along with his siblings, has criminality written all over it--devaluing real estate.
Having worked for the Trump and Spodek rentals in the 1980s in Brooklyn, I know some of their villainous deeds all too well. White collar thugs, the lot of them.
28
Presidential harassment indeed. Most definitely.
The only problem is, the harassment is coming from the pretender in the White House, not the Congress.
Typically, Donald gets this wrong too.
20
"so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide..." TrumP sure acts like there's nothing there to see.
1
Dianne Feinstein husband made billions in China and her driver was a Chinese spy for 20 years. Money made, conversations overheard, I am certain we need a thorough investigation to see if Chinese gained
a “leverage” on our on and off chair of the senate intelligence committee. Money to Clinton foundation - that will take years to investigate.
Pelosi husband’s banking deals and international investors? We do not want to get caught blindsided, do we? I am sure I can come up with something on every Pres Dem candidate as well. Sanders honeymoon in Moscow? Now what was that all about? Who does that? I see smoke.
It will take couple of conservative senators to threaten Mitch with withholding votes for him to get some spine and retaliate, but if you push far enough - it will happen.
Live by a sword- Die by a sword.
7
@Just Saying are you saying that we shouldn't investigate anything politicians do? Are politicians beyond reproach? I don't think so. There must be some way to conduct these investigations in good faith. Yes, politically motivated investigations are wrong. But it would be a disaster if we stopped investigating anything. Personally I think the amount of corruption we're heading about from Trump's people is alarming and deserves a closer look.
7
@Just Saying. Then come up with something on every democrat. Put your money where your mouth is. Lay it all out there and while you are at it, do the same for the sycophantic republicans. For any one thing you might find on a dem, there will be ten on a republican.
1
@Just Saying Bring it, Boris.
Yes, the boy blunder is in a strange new world. Trump, whose entire life has been one of unbridled excess and self gratification is being looked at in a whole new light, which I’m sure makes him quite uncomfortable. Bravo, Congress!
19
A myriad of troubles and millions of dollars would have been saved (untold amounts all things taken into account) if Mr. Trump had merely submitted his tax returns two years ago. A respectful and transparent Trump in the beginning of his term would have saved him from the scrutiny he has brought on himself. In fact, he could have had a respectful presidency if he had decided to act in accordance with the established norms and practices of the office. I believe he could have even surprised us all and taken the job seriously and used his experience in business (both high and low) to cobble together a successful term. The very moment he won the election he could have methodically began reversing his legacy as a spoiled, arrogant, trust-fund preppy and left his children and grandchildren with a noble about-face of a respectful forward-thinking term as president. It could have been a grand closing chapter for a man who had embarrassed himself for decades. I thought to send him a quick tweet at the time but was busy consoling my nine year old who was crumpled up in bed crying out "how could this happen?!".
7
Morals matter and our President has none.
We can complain about specfic things he has done or said. We can be upset with proposals that he has made or supported. We can question his ability to lead. These are not necessarily reasons to impeach.
What we should not accept is a President who lacks a moral compass, one who will do anything and everything to get what he wants even it does long term harm to this once great country.
The free world is scrambling presently to ascertain who is its leader. We, collectively, have surrendered the right to lead.
The first step to regain credibility is to remove the cancer. IMPEACH NOW!
10
Presidential harassment, to be grammatically correct, is harassment by the president, not of the president. And yes, Trump has been engaging in presidential harassment on a daily basis. He harasses Mueller and all those who have flipped against him in the Mueller investigation. He harasses the FBI. He harasses his own intelligence chiefs. He harasses his chief of staff and Cabinet members he has fired or wants to fire. He harasses the free press with diatribes against "fake news." And he harasses Democrats for doing their job of oversight, something Republicans should have done when they controlled the House.
37
It’s ironic that this term, Presidential Harrassment, is coined by the biggest presidential harasser in history. Personally funding the birther movement and threatening to lock her up are 2 episodes that come to mind.
It’s increasingly embarrassing that we have a president with no spine. His criminal behavior and deflection of any accountability is slowly destroying the U.S.
19
Nancy Pelosi is taking Trump apart, piece by piece. She knows that impeachment will be a terribly disruptive path to undertake. So instead, she will chop away at the branches and limbs until the tree is just a stump. This will take time, but it will be the most effective way to dismantle the most incompetent and corrupt administration we have ever endured.
The Republicans have hitched their wagons to a pathological liar who will say anything to anyone at anytime to get what he wants. The lying is so bad that his supporters tell us to not listen to his words. Even Chris Christie, has excused the lies by saying on his book tour that Trump is just being a salesman and that's how salesmen behave. No, that's not how presidents behave. We need a president, not a conman.
So to his supporters, some of which have expressed their doubt of any wrongdoing in the comments, if you know that Trump lies all the time and you make excuses for it, then.... When he tells you things that you want to hear, how do you know he isn't lying to you? How do you know if he really gives a hoot about the wall, or preventing abortion, or guns everywhere? He rails against immigrants and his hotels employ them all over the place. Has he ever driven a nail? What does he know about work?
But yet you continue to believe the things you want to believe. Well believe this. Donald Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator in a series of federal crimes which will be soon revealed.
76
@Bruce Rozenblit
"...how do you know he isn't lying to you?"
The lips. Watch the lips. If they're shut, he's at least momentarily not lying, which does not suggest ANY capability for telling the truth.
Yes, he's stupid. Yes, he's unbelievably ignorant. But wait!, there's more! ...he's evil and criminal as well, but don't despair, the Republicans have got our backs.
7
They are doing exactly what the majority of people want them to do and that is how Congress works or is supposed to work.
39
The final words of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag are: "Liberty and justice for all."
That is because America is a democratic republic, with a constitution that places no King, royal, dictator, nor person above the law. Donald Trump is attempting to trample that proposition with the help of Ruppert Murdock's un American TV propaganda machine. And the People's House is the only thing standing in the way.
There will be a constitutional crisis that will determine whether America continues as a democratic republic where no person is above the law and America will do what it did 240 years ago and reject having a king.
30
A president who has purposely surrounded himself with admitted and convicted criminals requires oversight, whether or not it is the job of Congress as stated in the Constitution.
Nunez and McConnell also should now be investigated for obstruction these past two years. They have messed with our democracy and national security by purposely refusing to do the job that the Constitution requires them to do.
53
@SLBvt
McConnell should also be investigated for refusing to hold a hearing for Merrick Garland. How can that not be considered obstruction, when it is clearly his job?
10
@SLBvt...
Nice bit of thinking...
Wrong, but a nice bit of thinking, anyway.
Perhaps you should do some reading...Members of Congress are immune from detention, arrest, or trial for speech or debate when they are traveling to, from or while in session of Congress.
That is right there in Article I, Section 5, Clause I of the United States Constitution.
2
Republicans wasted years and millions of dollars on Benghazi hearings. They would hold hearings over a misplaced sock, just like they would hold impeachment hearings over any perceived misstep by a democratic president.The Democrats must hold hearings over the legitimate mis- administration of President Trump. Politics is a blood sport to republicans and democrats must punch back.
36
@Mark -- They did. They were wrong to do so. They damaged themselves with voters by abusing their position in that way.
That is not a reason for Democrats to self-harm in the same ways.
We elect those we respect.
3
@Mark Thomason
Voters do not like politicians who look weak.
3
@Mark - Correct. Door-Mats-R-Us don't win elections.
2
I'm sorry but this is pure partisan politics. If congress has real evidence of wrong doing by someone in the executive branch while in office, that's fair. But what has happened here is that the Dems realize that the whole Russian collusion thing never happened, despite insistence by Dem leadership and the media that it had to have happened (how else could HRC have lost and Obama's legacy threatened?). The obstruction won't work either. Nor will the 25th amendment. So, now the dems are now going on a hunt for anything - no specific agenda except to find something on Trump.
Ridiculous. So, if I were Trump I'd instruct the justice dept and FBI to investigate members of congress -- starting with Schiff and Pelosi and perhaps AOC. After all, someone needs to watch the watchers.
11
@Ralphie
To begin with. Partisan politics is what Republicans have been practicing ever since gaining control over all three branches of our government, which didn't seem to bother them when striking down every piece of legislature enacted by the previous administration at the behest of this president.
THAT is the true threat to Obama's legacy.
And if you really think that there has been no Russian interference in the campaign or election of Donald Trump, you are either not listening or in deep denial.
In any case, if he is as innocent as he claims to be, there should be no problem in letting the investigations take their course.
68
Ralphie,
When I was a little girl, I was taught 'You'll be judged by the company you keep.'
Does nothing seem amiss to you regarding Mr. Trump's pals and associates? Would you want him for a son-in-law?
23
@Ralphie
Are you going to ask to see Dems tax returns? The President has chosen not to do that, just as he has chosen to forget about limitations on nepotism, and setting up blind trusts for his businesses. He is the least transparent of past presidents.
Even if he won in a landslide, which he .. ahem.. did not, the law is the law and is not swayed by popularity polls .
I think any reasonable person would conclude there was an organized effort with Russia. It would be unAmerican to sweep this under the carpet and ignore the fact that a foreign power met with members of a Presidential campaign and his famiily .
24
Clever twist of interpretation of “congressional oversight,” by Nancy Pelosi and this EB. It is doubtful the founding fathers meant it as a political tool to destroy their enemies by delving into the personal business of the CIC having nothing to do with ensuring that the executive branch reflects the will of the people.
That is why Benghazi was fair game and President Trump’s tax returns are not. Meanwhile, most fair-minded people can see what a circus the Democratic Party has become and that President Trump promised a great economy and has delivered. He promised to destroy ISIS and delivered. North Korea is no longer threatening the U.S. with nukes. The Democrat’s sideshow will keep them irrelevant.
11
@Sue Mee The tax returns are fair game, and should have been revealed as a prerequisite to becoming a candidate.
Every single one of our intelligence agencies has concluded that the Russians sought to influence our elections. We know that 45 was seeking to do business with Russians connected to Putin right up to the election, and through prior statements of his sons know that the Trump organization did a great deal of business in Russia. We also know that Trump couldn't do business with most banks because of his abysmal record of bankruptcies. The tax returns will begin to show who, if anyone, has financial leverage over POTUS, including not just Russians but Saudis and indeed anyone else, foreign or domestic. The American people are entitled to know who could pull strings on the person in the WH, whether the strings were attached before or after the election
14
@Sue Mee
The president's tax returns are a matter of national security.
And seeing that Trump has surrounded himself with convicted and admitted criminals, it is necessary to see them.
14
@La Resistance...
According to Federal Law, tax returns are NOT fair game.
Want to see the returns? Get the law changed.
Russian involvement in the US 2016 election? It has been fairly adequately shown that they tried. Little evidence, though, has been uncovered to show that their $100,000 investment succeeded in doing much of anything.
Trump's campaign colluding with the Russians? Well...nothing has surfaced so far, and there have been a lot of people inside and outside of government digging to find the smoking gun. And according to the statute books collusion is not a crime, so no one is going to get indicted on that sort of charge.
Just because someone alleges that a politician is having his strings pulled...or that he has strings attached in the first place...does not mean a criminal investigation is warranted...and certainly not if the only way that one can be initiated and continued is by deceiving a judge as to the prima facie evidence being offered.
Has the Mueller investigation used unfair or illegal tactics? Who knows. But Mueller has a history of such transgressions and was excoriated by the Supreme Court for the prosecutorial malfeasance in the case of Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska where Mueller was the lead prosecutor. And remember, Mueller was Special Agent in Boston and Director of the FBI during Whitey Bulger's reign of terror while being a secret informant for the bureau.
4
Since Donald J. Trump has never has any oversight in his life, of course it's going to feel like harassment. Harassment, no persecution. Persecution, no torture.
24
@Richard Mclaughlin
Trump was audited 10 years in a row by the IRS.
That's some pretty expansive oversight.
6
@Sports Medicine
But have those results been made public?
And then there's the IRS forms that Trump said were being audited in the 2016 campaign, that STILL haven't been released even though he's somehow trying to blame this all on Obama.
The only thing "expansive" here is his ability to avoid telling the truth.
9
Of course investigations are political, although not all investigations are only political. Politics have always been politics.
Consider this - the reason that the House changed over mid-term from GOP to Democrat control is because a majority of Americans have been demanding oversight: that we want the banana republic blatant quid pro quo self enrichment banished from the White House. We could not depend on the GOP to do so because politics trumped patriotism.
The past GOP Congress dogged Democrats - as did the right wing media with E-Mails! Benghazi! Emperor Obama! The difference was that for all of the harassment, none of it stuck.
Trump is afraid, because he knows for sure that most of it will stick, and some of it is going to stick to him and to his kids.
45
It is no surprise that Trump is panicking now that he finally has a Congressional oversight wall that he cannot vault over with the aid of his Republican cronies in the House. The pendulum has swung the other way.
Please, Democrats, overreach! Do exactly what the Republicans did to Barack Obama and then notch it up another two pegs. This is political war. Use the same legislative guerilla tactics Republicans used when they had the majority in the House.
Donald Trump is a man who believes , in his ignorance of how government works or the Constitution for that matter, that the AG works for him, that he can ask the FBI director to "let go" an investigation whether Russia influenced our election, that the Justice Department is corrupt if it doesn't do his bidding.
He is a dictator, plain and simple and wants to rule by edict. Finally, the House Democrats are setting up spike strips to stop him from taking the country down that highway. Here's wishing them godspeed.
33
@Len
well said. Thanks
1
In most of our history the cover up is generally far worse than the crime. In Trump's case, to his base the coverup is theater, foments their anger towards "Elites and Democrats" and keeps them loyal. For Trump the CRIMES are far worse than the coverup. If it weren't so harmful Trump the self proclaimed "Strong" man, constant whining and aversion to taking personal responsibility for anything would be hilarious.
8
The debacle of Whitaker’s hearing should be enough to convince anyone that Democrats will allow themselves to be walked all over in their search for the truth. They will never follow through with subpoenas or enforcing the subpoenas if they do issue them. Every single person who now comes before their committees will follow Whitaker’s path and supercilious demeanor and the lying and obfuscation that began in Republican hearings will continue unabated and unchecked. Any person testifying before the committees will know the committees have no teeth and that their bark is bigger than their bite. Why did Nadler just chuckle when Whitaker arrogantly told him his time was up? From that point on, Whitaker had control of the hearing. And we don’t need impassioned speeches from committee members trying to make a name for themselves. We need cold, calculating prosecutors. I can’t watch these hearings anymore. They’re too painful.
5
Hubris or ignorance, willful or otherwise?
One or the other must explain how Trump fails to see or understand what's happening today. From his endless witter harangues, bait and switch campaign promises of better health care and protection of social programs, and the unabashed greed and missteps of his appointees, no one's come even close to holding him to account. The energy his team puts into spin could power a small city. Nothing ever has to do with him or is his responsibility, even as are exposed.
Does he lash out from frustration or fear?
It probably doesn't matter. While I despair that he'll ever face justice in the way he deserves, perhaps we can take comfort watching him become increasingly isolated and ineffectual as the Mueller and House investigations expose his delusions of being a master manipulator.
10
@SMKNC
What is so worrisome is that in the background are Jared Kushner and Ivanka. God knows what damage is being done given the inappropriate clearance Kushner has. Their power in the White House is like a silent "drum beat". I find Kushners potential influence very problematic and isn't mentioned enough.
4
There may be a country lesson to be learned from this, this undermining and insulting of the American people, trying to pull their untoward on our principles. Sooner or later the truth will be told.
Our parents tried to teach us truth. They tried to role model. Seems like my mom was always in collaboration with my friends’ moms. My mom seemed know when we girls got sneaky before we even got home from escapades. I remember her meeting me at the door - that was really creepy, that’s when it was serious in her opinion and then shameful. Oh, the shame!
Our teachers tried to teach us truth. Teachers took a lot of pride in eagle eyes. They could spot plagiarism. They could catch passing notes, whispers, as if they have this inner sense that says “there’s cheating going on here.” And to be caught? No thanks.
Our employers tried to teach us truth. Our ex-army nurse supervisors tried to tell us without even speaking. As a young healthcare provider there is nothing that was more embarrassing than getting called out by one of those officers. As sure as their shoes were white as pure snow, their toughness stiffened our ethics, our truthfulness. In a sense, they never left the military. They just “carried on” with us making sure we gave honest care.
So what happened? Donald Trump chose sneaks. Betsy DeVos has no education credentials even. Their roles are to get by, ruthless, above morality, selfishly with greed.
Did they just always get away with stuff? We wonder.
14
Interesting tweet .......constituted "unlimited presidential harassment". Therefore a certain amount of harassment must be allowable? I would like to see Trump set the parameters of presidential harassment so we can tell if our congress is going to far with these investigations. Until these limits are explained, looks like the skies the limit.
6
Not looking into the actions of one of the most corrupt administrations in this country's history would be an abrogation of the House's Constitutional responsibilities. Of course if Trump has done nothing wrong then he has nothing to worry about, which I assume is why he is so worried.
In the world of business you can lie, cheat and steal your way to the top. You can do the same in politics but under much greater scrutiny. Maybe someone can capture that concept in pictures and show them to our dear leader.
9
Finally, a real Board of Directors, to oversee the careless actions of the petulant child.
15
The president is notorious for "going it alone," seeking his gut's advise and generally ignoring any viewpoint that is not his own. It only stands to reason that he would fail to understand the concept of "oversight" and resent its imposition. Perhaps he can arrange to have Article 1 expunged from the constitution. The Saudis, the Chinese and the Russians aren't burdened by such nonsense. Clearly, he is being harassed.
5
@Susan,
While he is being harassed, Congress might try placing a political harness on him for his own protection, and for the safety of our Nation,
3
The deep state continues to investigate Trump without cause. They spied on Trump as a candidate, placed multiple Democrat spies in his campaign, and continue to spy on him to this very day. They all have the attitude "let's keep looking until we find something." That's not doing their job that is in fact harassment. The Mueller investigation as well as the multiple FISA warrants to spy on Trump were obtained using the Fake Russian Dossier insurance policy that Strozk was texting about. The FBI insane raids on the homes of Manafort and Stone were "over the top" and meant to intimidate.
7
And Senator Macarthy was just doing his job. The big difference was that Macarthy had some evidence that there were Communists in the government. What they have in common is hate and fear mongering. Congress has done more to hurt this country than the Russians did meddling in the election.
7
Why open an investigation when there is no evidence of doing something wrong? What constructive good does it do for our country? Do we really want to distract the most powerful person in our nation, who has the power to improve our lives, and seems motivated to do so, with a fishing expedition? Unfortunately, Democratic politicians seem more focused on their political careers than our country! Are they not embarrassed by their childish behavior??
7
This is what's so troubling. When half the country believes there's "no evidence of doing something wrong" regarding trump and everyone else mentioned in this piece, we are in deep trouble.
40
@Jack - Even the President has acknowledged the Russians meddled in the election; evidence of wrongdoing exists; people are in jail or on their way. Americans have the right to know the truth. A major responsibility of Congress to oversee the Administrative branch of our government. It's not "childish behavior," it's Congress doing their job.
19
@Jack
Jack, did you miss the part about the republican harassment of President Obama in this piece? Have you forgotten how Mitch made it abundantly clear that he would not advance a single Obama initiative or judge as long as he had the power to do so. Funny how republican outrage comes to the forefront when the shoe's on the other foot.
12
Agree with your editorial, certainly with the Trump stench but to be fair, one has to be careful.
Even when supremely just, necessary when starting out, there is always a possibility of over reach. Pelosi should be careful of that. Americans voted the House democratic not to put on a side show like the republicans did but to right the ship.
If there is wrong doing, point it out with the necessary punishment.
If not move on.
8
When Trump attacked the Congressional investigations during his State of the Union, his line fell flat. There were a few claps and then silence. It appears that the need to investigate is a matter not lost on Republicans. The silence was deafening.
40
Donald Trump's claims of "Presidential harassment" are merely the cries of someone who is thoroughly unfamiliar with the constitutional laws of this land and the limitations of his office.
No surprise. Since Republicans and their stronghold on Congress have given him Carte Blanche and the keys to the playground since he's been in the White House.
Fair play has never been a strength of this president and the idea of checks and balances in a democratic government must be as shocking to him as the outcome of the midterm elections.
And this is only the beginning.
41
So much corruption. So little time.
6
The first two years of the current administration offered a classic example of a symbiotic relationship between the Presidency and Congress. President Trump offered Republicans license to plunder and pillage, to disenfranchise and marginalize, and to appoint judges supportive of Republican priorities. In turn Republican majorities protected the president's flanks, enabling him to create a personalized rather than institutionalized administration centered around fantasies and illusions. As several others have noted, however, the combination of malfeasance by some of his appointees and the Congressional practice of protection rather than oversight accustomed President Trump to a distorted view of what oversight entails. Having gotten into bed with Devin Nunes waking up with Adam Schiff is a disagreeable jolt. As a Republican I take no comfort in the Faustian bargain between Mr. Trump and his enablers in Congress. Undoubtedly we will be subject to tawdry examples of Democratic excess as Representative X gets a chance to spend 5 minutes of hearing time accumulating soundbites for the 2020 election. But that should not blind us to the reality that Congress avoided meaningful oversight for 2 years, so we face a burden of catching up with the missteps of an administration particularly prone to poor choices and misbehavior. While we need to probe possible criminality our concern must be the national security implications of failure to comply with the responsibilities of office.
46
@usa999 - “...tawdry examples of Democratic excess...”
Speaking as an Independent, this administration has set a very high bar for tawdry excess. Are you referring to the many newly-elected female representatives in Congress? After two years of Donald and the Senate Trumpettes, I look forward to hearing more from the House of Representatives, and can’t wait for the 2020 election.
9
Oversight is a job of Congress, and a very important job.
It can be abused, misused, just as it can be neglected.
Abuse or misuse would look like what McCarthy did. And like the Benghazi hearings.
Neglecting it entirely would look like what Republicans have done, or rather not done.
There is a line Democrats could cross. They need to be aware of it, and do this right.
37
Oversight is a foreign concept to Trump. He spent most of his working life as the CEO of a family-owned criminal organization. As president, he's had a sycophantic House and Senate. The lack of oversight has allowed him to enrich the Trump Organization and to sell the country off in pieces to his wealthy friends.
It's unfortunate that the Republicans still control the Senate, since they can continue their takeover of the Federal judiciary and to install kleptocrats into the Cabinet. But at least the House can shine a spotlight on this criminal activity so that voters will know the score in 2020. And the House will play the roles that the framers intended.
55
I fully agree with this editorial that congress must exercise its oversight responsibilities. Unfortunately such responsibilities have been used by both parties to exploit political ends. That's what politics is about. It's dirty! However, the conservative and liberal media also exploits such shenanigans too and that decreases respect for one of the most valuable institution in our democracy: the erosion is happening everywhere.
4
Oversight over the executive branch is a legitimate and constitutionally required function of the legislative branch. It is quite literally the rules of the game, played by both sides against the opposing side and always protested by the opposing side as being excessive.
6
We may never know how we truly got here with Trump and his administration. Without oversight, everyone loses. Republicans were so excited to gain complete power in 2016, that they, as a group, forgot why they were there. Now, reality is starting to creep into The Halls of Congress!
We’ll probably never know the full damage of this run-a-way political circus created by Donald Trump, because the agency that was supposed to be the breaks took their feet off the petals.
Since John McCain passed, and a few sane Republican Senators resigned, people like Lindsey Graham no longer have some Republican Leaders willing to step up to the plate of Reality.
My hope is that the Democratic Party will show true leadership with their investigations and remember that the pendulum of politics goes both ways. Let’s show the Republicans how and why the founders of our Constitution put safeguards in place and do it with fairness and intelligence.
58
And since these government employees work for us, and I‘m helping to pay all of their salaries, I concur and insist that congress do its job.
Recommend and share if you do too.
103
"And, so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, the public will feel much more confident in his leadership once some of the more disturbing questions have been answered."
I'm sorry, there is absolutely nothing Trump could do to inspire confidence in his so-called "leadership." He is clearly in over his head, clueless about the workings of government and only interested in fanning the flames of hatred in his cult-like base. He "governs," if you can call it that, by obeying his racist, zero-sum impulses and surrounding himself with appointees who are essentially mirror images in order to inspire loyalty to him rather than the Constitution. Nearly everything he does is wrong on so many levels; he lives in an alternate reality where things are so because he thinks they are. And because he is surrounded by smoke there's a fire there somewhere, so thank God for congressional oversight - finally.
133
@JoanC I think the sentence that you quoted was tongue-in-cheek.
1
If one watches, listens to, or reads transcripts of enough congressional hearings, one can learn to recognize and dismiss political theater, noise, and witness filibustering and focus on the substance of questions and answers.
Regardless of which political party is “in charge” or the political affiliation of witnesses, and if the public can put its own political biases aside, the importance of congressional oversight, not just in the proper use of funding and resources, but in the proper use of government power, can be determined. It appears yesterday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing the testimony of Acting AG Whitaker created a record for determining the latter.
At face value, the current President and his administration have raised many troubling questions into possible abuses of power that must be answered to maintain and to serve constitutional law and democratic values. From the constitutionality of the appointment of Mr. Whitaker to Mr. Whitaker’s decisions in investigations that may involve the President of the United States, the potential for abuses of power exist.
In my view, Mr. Whitaker demonstrated evasiveness, immaturity, and acted unprofessionally. His refusals to answer questions regarding conversations with the President were inconsistent, which demonstrated interactions with the President were revealed when it was to his advantage to do so and withheld when not to his advantage.
48
@Kathy White I was particularly dismayed by Whitaker's inability or unwillingness to answer yes or no questions, even when instructed by the chairman that he had to do so. His filibustering was evidence that he is an experienced obstructor who knows how to game the system to his advantage. Each questioner only had 5 minutes, and so Whitaker was able to avoid the difficult questions by saying things like "Thank you for the question, ..., and by reciting unrelated boilerplate until the questioner was out of time.
13
@Kathy White And Whitaker probably has perjured himself.
2
No doubt many ligitimate avenue avenues of inquiry.
But when I read that "multiple committees are eager to grill" Betsy DeVos over her changes to campus sexual assault policies--changes even many law school faculty support--I can't help but think legitimate acts may also be scrutinized, if not attacked.
I want to see wrongdoing investigated. Not every single action ever undertaken.
6
The newly constituted House under the Democratic stewardship is simply taking up the long ignored legislative agenda and the oversight function to keep the executive accountable to the people through effective oversight--the twin tasks assigned to the Legislature-Congress-by the constitution under its checks and balances scheme to ensure responsible democratic governance in the country. How could such a discharge of constitutional obligations be viewed as the "presidential harassment" as being done by President Trump under frustration arising out of the ongoing investigations about his involvement in the Russian meddling and his own numerous scandalous deeds of moral and legal transgressions? Until the Republican lawmakers continued to neglect their constitutional duties by observing studied silence it was a field day for Trump. How could it be a case of harassment when the House Democrats are simply doing their primary job of setting the legislative agenda, and performing the function of oversight over the executive excesses?
38
The real story is not that the Democrats are engaging in oversight -
Rather, it is that Republican congresspersons - with full-knowledge of Trump's ignorance, bullying, corrupt character, and constant false witness - shamed themselves for 2 years as a result of their abject, misfeasant servility.
323
Trump must have had some idea that accountability is a pulsating imperative in holding public office - especially the President of the USA. To dismiss this is as an oversight on his part is the height of his arrogance or the level of his non-intelligence. Whatever the reason anybody wishes to postulate the old saying rings loud and true ," If you can't handle the heat then get out of the kitchen".
35
@WillGee
I contend he didn't have a clue. He thought this could be a 'fun game'. Then Putin realized his bigly opportunity and the rest, as we all know is what we in the US are now living.
4
For those of us in our seventies it is difficult to understand how our American government can continue to falter with divisive leadership and still get anything done.
The election of democrats to the House guarantees stalemate and the next two years appear to be useless for the country.
This dysfunctional American government is a dream for Putin who wishes only the worst for Americans.
The only solution seems to be removing Trump and install a caretaker government with Pence as our only hope of a functioning government.
Have we given up on removing Trump from the White House?
4
@Michael Kittle
Removing a President is a real tough problem. The Republican Party must break loose if it is to regain credibility.
The nation needs congressional leadership to successfully get through the next two years.
We can only watch carefully and hold our breath until the elections.
14
@Michael Kittle Pence is just as bad. He's a member of the far-right radical fringe of the Republican party. They would both have to go at the same time.
4
It isn't as simple as removing Trump from the White House. He must be impeached in the House & adjudicated guilty by the Senate. Otherwise, as with Bill Clinton, impeachment by the House does not remove the president from the Oval Office. And, right now, any betting person would be unwise to bet the house on the Senate's verdict.
It's odd that our Fear-Monger in Chief whines about being harassed. What is Trump fearful of? Likely, too many things to enumerate, but I can't help but think his tax returns, if the GOP stops protecting him, will bring his Presidency to a well-deserved end.
83
The Nixon comparisons remain lazy. I mean, one of them was an actual tv star, unless you concede reelection.
It is dishonest to not acknowledge the numerous examples of overreach that masquerade as "grandstanding". Every hearing is a sad farce like the Congresswoman said in the Whitaker hearing.
1
I listened to a lot of the hearing with Whitaker yesterday.
Democrats, who are supposed to be champions of fair criminal justice, displayed " guilty until proven innocent " tactics.
One can see these politicians have been boiling with rage for two years and could not resist their hypocritical display.
Anyone that heard or watched this and does not agree is living once again in denial.
11
People do believe their president is a crook. He’s not above the law, even if he believes he is. Just as our belief cannot convict him without proof, so must his belief be examined properly. Not harassment, just due process.
Mr. T should have remained in the private sector if he wanted to stay under the radar. He’s playing with the big folks now and he’s unprepared.
37
Trump is a member of Generation Special Privileges. Pampered bllionaires who think rules, regulations and laws do not apply. In his mind, the American people are lucky to have him; his ingenuity, talent and deal making; the top man in this House of Cards.
Boy, is he making his unique presence felt, and we are all the more grateful for it!
6
The windows are being thrown open. Sunlight and fresh air will dissipate the stench that has settled over the nation.
35
@Pamela stroud
Wish is was so.
1
Trump acts and has acted from day one as someone with something to hide, like a child who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The more he squawks about witch hunt and presidential harassment the more I am convinced he is a crook! My advice for the Democrats is to take your time and act professionally, not petty that way when the facts come out no one will be able to undermine them.
32
If yesterday is a preview of what’s to come, it will be a very entertaining two years. Unless some of these characters can pull off a Holder and not show up
2
All the whining going on right now in the GOP proves beyond any reasonable doubt the extent of their duplicity, hypocrisy, two-faced mendacity, obfuscation, and total lack of any integrity or moral fiber.
A bigger bunch of self-serving, self-dealing, shank-oil-selling shills this country has never seen.
The truly amazing thing is how many American's are still willing to stand in line for the five start shafting the GOP has to offer - Decade after decade. Administration after Administration.
The misery machine that is the modern GOP seems to have an endless supply of home-grown suckers.
Sad really. Because this country could be so much better than this. And so much better than what they have to offer - which is less than nothing.
33
As the cinch is tightened, Donald is running scared. It’s only a matter of time before he reenacts the final scene of A FACE IN THE CROWD.
8
Pelosi and her horde of flying monkeys have been waiting and sharpening there knives for the opportunity to cut into the Trump administration. Politics as usual. The Editorial Board seems to be selective in its use of facts. Back in the 80's the Democrats put Al D'Amato through a 9 month investigation over HUD. In the end, the investigation amounted to nothing. Political witch hunts have gone on for decades, why should this class of Democrats be any different then its predecessors.
8
@George
The difference will lie in the facts. The newspapers will have to do their job.
Unfortunately radio and TV do not seem up to presenting more complicated fact issues then “one liners” which makes understanding national government difficult.
Maybe this is wat the President depends on?
6
Trump will see what it really means to be "a nation of laws."
21
I don't know--Does the White House have "oversight" over the replete malfeasance in Congress and shifty-eyes Schiff nonsense?
This is just a Pelosi-inspired sideshow of DNC Politburo misfits looking for anything, just anything that might stop Trump in 2020.
Not going to happen. With so many running, not one could last a minute with Trump in a cage-match--Booker and Harris both swinging above their weight class--not to mention Schultz in the back ground.
Bloomberg is the only one who could possibly win and he's a conservative--so he says.
5
@Alice's Restaurant
"Trump in a cage-match" would outlast Booker, Harris et al??? That this writer thinks he/she is defending the Trump administration, only shows how demeaned the office of the Presidency has become under Trump--a man whose corruption and venality will prove to have been without rival. Harding and Nixon are celebrating from their graves that they are no longer going down in history as the most corrupt of presidents.
10
The investigation into the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya was nothing more than a protracted Republican "get Hillary" charade that cost taxpayers $ 26 million dollars. The difference now is that Trump is being investigated for real and solid reasons.
77
Trump, you call this harassment? We've only begun to fight.
21
The President has the right to cajole witnesses, does he not? I mean, what's the point of being the President, if one cannot cajole a few witnesses. The President is the most powerful branch of the governement, as any Trump-supporter might easily tell you. Look how Obama got all those far Left wing Judges approved! He's flooded our courts for decades!
If the President does something, how could it be Wrong? Even if it IS. Especially if it is.
God help me, but I miss my daily dose of Rudy.
1
Glad the inquisitive creature is drawn over-sized, to slosh through the Trump swamp and peer at a White House foundering in the donkey-ankle-deep muck.
Only one disingenuous sentence: "so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide"—
Nothing to hide? Do you think anyone in either Party believes that's possible?
15
This is just one more article from the "Resistance." Democrat congressional leaders like Schiff and Waters have consistently shown that they are out to get the president at all costs. Now that they have the majority in the House they are starting what they could only dream of when they were the minority. How sad to see the NYT cheering them on.
8
When Betsy DeVos testifies, I hope they ask her about the fact migrant children, separated from their parents under Trump’s policy, have been funneled to Bethany Christian Services, an adoption agency, with which she, her husband and other family members have significant links.
42
Trump received a free ride in the Congress. Corrupt practices just radiate from him. His moving the capital of Israel to Jerusalem short of any agreement with the Palestinians violates the letter and the spirit of 40 years of US treaty agreements between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The use of US troops in violent actions not even known to Congress until after the fact. Violations of international law by placing US troops in Syria. But alas these aren't Trump violations the Congress wants to look into.
8
“It’s our congressional responsibility, and if we didn’t do it, we would be delinquent in our duties.”
What a relief it was to hear those words.
Words that Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan willfully chose to ignore. The Senate Majority Leader and the former Speaker chose to look the other way in exchange for a tax cut and some judges. McConnell and Ryan are complicit in Trump's malfeasance.
Trump has never had any oversight. No board of directors or shareholders. Trump has always done as he pleased, unencumbered with legality or ethics. He routinely breaks deals, stiffs contractors, defaults on loans, defrauds students, runs around with multiple women. When problems arise, he has his lawyers drag it out in court, or money buys silence. Anyone who has read the newspapers knows this.
Our government is not one of Trump's private businesses.
Pelosi is giving Trump an education in the difference between Public and Private. The House is doing it's duty.
Trump is finding out that the president isn't king. The Constitution is. Congress does not work for the president, they work for the People. Something the entire GOP seems to have forgotten.
We won't forget.
Election Day is November 3, 2020.
We definitely won't forget.
167
This president deserves to be ridden out on a rail. The nerve of him suggesting he's being harassed! And you are correct, McConnell, Ryan and the rest of the derelict of duty GOP have long ago forgotten who they work for. They've destroyed the party of Lincoln, a thoughtful intellectual leader of a then (as now) divided country. I agree that election day can not come any sooner.
...this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
- President Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg address, November 19, 1863”
18
Oversight of how a department is progressing on a particular policy or examining why there was a failure somewhere is clearly beneficial. However, the kinds of partisan attacks Mr. Whitaker faced on Friday are more akin to an inquisition, with the democratic members of the committee desperately trying to get a soundbite they can use against Trump.
While the NYT may think this will play well, I think not - Trump will look like the only one who gives a fig about running the country and that will be clear to the middle class in swing district after swing district.
5
@Chris
Oh you mean after the middle class gets done filing their taxes ?
And seeing that they have to pay out instead of getting a refund?
After that great tax cut?
Trump gives a fig alright, about lining his pockets.
27
@Chris
In fact, the questioning of Mr. Whitaker was totally appropriate since it involved any possible interference with the Mueller investigation.
9
@Carla In places like Brooklyn or NJ or CT it may well be a wash for the upper middle class because the SALT subsidy has been reduced, and certainly will be a loss for the rich in these states. Yes that's right, Trump taxed the rich.
Why democrats in about 5 states believe they and the rich in their states have a god-given right to pay less federal taxes than the rest of the country is mind-boggling.
1
"Exposing corruption and malfeasance in the Trump administration promises to be a heavy lift."
This has got to be the understatement of the year! The House hearings just listed are long and deep, given the problems of this administration.
Speaker Pelosi, wisely, isn't going to grandstand like Issa, or overreach like McCarthy. Far from harassment, these hearings are long overdue.
Donald Trump has never been accountable for anything, which must be infuriating and frightening at the same time. But hey, he alone is responsible for the rampant corruption and abuse in his administration.
At some level, he must know the gig is up, with other investigations promising to add to the pile of evidence potentially resulting in impeachment.
Mr. Trump freely sought the presidency and won. For more than two years, he's played by Trump Tower rules with nobody looking over his shoulder.
Those days are over--get used to it, Mr. President.
208
@ChristineMcM
The newest toy from Whamo? The donnie squirm worm! Turn the heat lamp on and watch it try to wiggle out of sight.
7
Insightful that this Editorial list dovetails Ms. Collins recent ranked survey on Trump’s worst Cabinet Member. Wilbur Ross took the prize. These investigations prompt a simple question. Who in this Administration is not on the take?
Willard Romney has been known as Mr. 14% and Leonana Helmsley for “only the little people pay taxes”.
Trump’s tax return releases and his tweet storm surely portend an event. It should present his 30% base with an eye opener.
36
"..so long as Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, the public will feel much more confident in his leadership once some of the more disturbing questions have been answered."
Ha. That's a good one. If Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, he wouldn't keep trying to obstruct the investigations would he.
If Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, it means that dozens of judges, prosecutors and most of our national law enforcement branches are making it all up as they go along. I ask you, who is more likely to have a grasp on reality and the facts, Robert Mueller or D. J. Trump?
If Mr. Trump has nothing to hide, it will be the greatest amount of smoke without a fire in human history. Any of you Trump supporters still out there that want to make a bet? I kinda like the odds.
170
Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution to fully realize that legislative powers in Article I grant powers to Congress serve as a check on presidential authority.
He seems to believe that rules don’t apply to him and a significant minority of our country believe him.
In my view, this could change at least to the point where some Trump voters ask, “Why did I have such an enormous tax liability when Trump promised tax relief for the middle class?”
Tax time is coming soon and it’s going to open many eyes of Trump voters when they figure they got snookered by a con artist. Add to that, the House of Representatives revealing Trump’s tax returns for the past ten years and it will make many in Trump country to say, “ He rigged the system to support people like him and not me”.
93
In addition to this list, add Jeff Sessions and possible others who are either still in office or have stepped down. Look at the Republicans who have accepted money from foreign sources notably oligarchs associated with Putin, and Saudi and U.A.E. nationals. More investigations to come.
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/12/15/putins-proxies-helped-funnel-millions-gop-campaigns
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/08/03/tangled-web-connects-russian-oligarch-money-gop-campaigns
41
@Ann-"Possible others" with curious foreign others: Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Gen. Flynn, John Bolton, Don McGahn (Alfa Bank+ oligarchs), Wilbur Ross, Rex Tillerson, Betsy DeVos, Mike Pompeo, Jeff Sessions, DHS Kirstjen Nielsen, Brian Benczkowski (Alfa Bank), FBI Chris Wray (King & Spalding, Russia state-controlled oil cos, Trump trust), Carter Page, Michael Flynn Jr., Roger Stone, George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Robert & Rebekah Mercer, Steve Bannon, Devin Nunes, Richard Pinedo, Sam Nunn, George Nader, Elliott Broidy, Simon Kukes, Sam Patten, Felix Sater, Boris Ephsteyn, Sergey Gorkov, Gregory B. Craig, Vin Weber, Tony Podesta, Clifford M. Sloan Michael R. Caputo, Bossert, Berkowitz, Rence Priebus, McFarland, Eric Prince, Clovis, Conway, Hicks, Dearborn, Lewandowski, Scavino, Gordon, Michael Cohen, Peter W. Smith, Joel Zamel, Andrei Nikolaev, Alex van der Zwaan, Mitch McConnell, Lindsay Graham, Marc Rubio, Scott Walker, John Kasich, Richard C. Shelby, Steve Daines, John Hoeven, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, Jerry Moran, John Thune, Devin Nunes, Dana Rohrabacher, Kay Granger, Julian Assange, Paul Erikson, Jack Abramhoff, David Keene, Sheriff David Clarke, Outdoor Channel CEO Jim Liberatore, NRA president Peter Brownell, Jim Gregory, Arnold Goldschlager, Hilary Goldschlager, Andy Credico, Rupert Murdoch, David Pecker, Jack Dorsey, Justin Kenney (Deutsch), Stephen Caulk (Chicago Federal Savings Bank).
159
@Ann-"Possible others" with curious foreign contacts: Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Gen. Flynn, John Bolton, Don McGahn (Alfa Bank+ oligarchs), Wilbur Ross, Rex Tillerson, Betsy DeVos, Mike Pompeo, Jeff Sessions, DHS Kirstjen Nielsen, Brian Benczkowski (Alfa Bank), FBI Chris Wray (King & Spalding, Russia state-controlled oil cos, Trump trust), Carter Page, Michael Flynn Jr., Roger Stone, George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Robert & Rebekah Mercer, Steve Bannon, Devin Nunes, Richard Pinedo, Sam Nunn, George Nader, Elliott Broidy, Simon Kukes, Sam Patten, Felix Sater, Boris Ephsteyn, Sergey Gorkov, Gregory B. Craig, Vin Weber, Tony Podesta, Clifford M. Sloan Michael R. Caputo, Bossert, Berkowitz, Rence Priebus, McFarland, Eric Prince, Clovis, Conway, Hicks, Dearborn, Lewandowski, Scavino, Gordon, Michael Cohen, Peter W. Smith, Joel Zamel, Andrei Nikolaev, Alex van der Zwaan, Mitch McConnell, Lindsay Graham, Marc Rubio, Scott Walker, John Kasich, Richard C. Shelby, Steve Daines, John Hoeven, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, Jerry Moran, John Thune, Devin Nunes, Dana Rohrabacher, Kay Granger, Julian Assange, Paul Erikson, Jack Abramhoff, David Keene, Sheriff David Clarke, Outdoor Channel CEO Jim Liberatore, NRA president Peter Brownell, Jim Gregory, Arnold Goldschlager, Hilary Goldschlager, Andy Credico, Rupert Murdoch, David Pecker, Jack Dorsey, Justin Kenney (Deutsch), Stephen Caulk (Chicago Federal Savings Bank).
16
@Ann
That is quite a list.... Just the tip of an iceberg? Or a just a partial list of a "vast right-wing conspiracy?" You left out Justice Kennedy's son, Justin, who was Trump's loan officer (banker) at Deutsche Bank.
When in doubt, follow the money, especially the "Dark Money."
5
Nothing to hide?
Ha, ha, ha.
169
These committee hearings don’t seem like they’d yield anything significant. Are the witnesses compelled to say anything incriminating about themselves or associates? Unlikely! But Trump does have something to hide. We’ve known that since he refused to release his returns, when his inaugural committee took in hundreds of thousands from lobbyists and foreign states, his refusal to divest from his financial dealings. The list goes on and on. This man and his cronies have a lot to hide - a lot - and it’ll take more than a committee asking questions to get to the bottom of things. Can these committees really yield tangible results, or is it all just for show?
9
“Presidential harassment, Mr. Trump? Nope. Congress is doing its job.”
Congress is not doing its job when it comes to our election process. What are they doing about mass voter suppression and purging of voters, and the fact that we have a vote-counting system that is not transparent nor secure.
Exit polls indicate that Trump did not win the Electoral College.
Why the U.S. State Department Would Not Certify Trump’s Election as Legitimate https://tinyurl.com/y8a7gqn9
NYT Magazine Cover Story - Kim Zetter: The Crisis of Election Security https://tinyurl.com/yczwsupq
“The voting-machine industry—an estimated $300-million-a-year business—has long been as troubling as the machines it makes, known for its secrecy, close political ties (overwhelmingly to the Republican Party) and a revolving door between vendors and election offices.”
Kim Zetter: Top Voting Machine Vendor Admits It Installed Remote-Access Software https://tinyurl.com/ycgjv66p
“Remote-access software and modems on election equipment is the worst decision for security short of leaving ballot boxes on a Moscow street corner.”
An overview on computerized voting - Victoria Collier: How to Rig an Election https://tinyurl.com/y9xx63f6
In 2009, Germany's Constitutional Court ruled that the "vote count must be something the public can authenticate—without any specialized expertise—the decision challenged the use of computers in elections.”
Other democracies count their ballots by hand. It’s the gold standard.
351
@RLS-Essentially by leaving our voting system at risk, our leadership is enabling cybersecurity breeches that have fa-reaching consequences, beyond the damage of a Trump. According to KOS Media, "the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)--with the support of several Democratic Secretaries of State--advanced a policy that allows federal funding for new voting equipment with substandard (essentially nonexistent) requirements for improving election security. NASS is voting next week on whether or not to make this harmful policy permanent."
The integrity of our voting system is at risk and needs to be treated as a national priority.
115
@Ann
To the Яepublicans, the inability to authenticate the results from electronic voting machines is a feature, not a bug.
71
At the least, we need a secure paper trail to verify electronic vote results.
65
Yes let’s be clear, oversight is a responsibility and it is a job of Congress but to state Congress is doing its job is just as wrong as you can be, Congress is not doing its job, just one little part of it, Congress loves this type of noise it gives them a pass. To give them is much credit in headline is wrong, it should read Give Congress credit for doing at least one thing they are supposed to do, Oversight
9
Trump has been looking particularly haggard of late. He has the solemn, far-off gaze of man resigned to his fate. I'll bet not a day goes by that he doesn't regret his decision to run for the Presidency.
198
@Susan
Not a day goes by that I don’t regret his decision to run for president.
18
President Trump was called to duty to protect the US culture of freedom against the culture of China, India, and Russia from dictatorship.
Neither party has an answer.
2
@DudeNumber42
"'Called' to duty"?
More like "installed".
By a Russian dictator.
Trump and his Republican co-conspirators have sold us all out for money and power.
They are the last ones who will defend your freedom.
3
From the editorial: "A president whose administration does not have the confidence of the people cannot govern effectively, or legitimately. Accountability is crucial to that confidence — something the nation’s founders grasped, even if Mr. Trump does not."
Well put.
You must earn our trust, Mr. President.
Too many of us have been to Trump U.
227
@Willy P
Donald Trump will neither now nor ever win the trust of the overwhelming majority of decent American citizens. In fact, he is losing any trust he had among those decent American citizens, who mistakenly gave him a chance.
He blew his opportunities to be a decent president before he ever stepped foot into the White House. Now, he has got to go!
30
All's fair in love and war. And in politics too.
13
It's probably reasonable to expect that the House will be passing a lot of bills that will be stalled in the Senate over the next two years. At the same time it will be useful to see the results of these investigations.
The Democrats are in an unenviable position. They depend on the same type of donors as the Republicans do. Yet, in order to appear responsive to today's voters, they must, in some measure work against the agenda of those donors. Walking that tightrope will become more fraught as positions like the Green New Deal become prominent.
If I were cynical I might think that, although needed, the investigations might be useful to keep attention away from the actual legislation they are proposing.
I want to see a strong, progressive Democratic party that's doing its job. I also want to know that it's producing progressive legislation, and will continue to do so once the Senate is back in their hands.
So far Speaker Pelosi has delighted us all with the way she has proved to be a counterfoil to Donald Trump.
We will now get to see how well she does with her own party, which may be a harder work.
84
I take comfort in knowing all Trump's rants and rages are preserved for future generations listening pleasure. A joke that will keep on giving.
264
@GUANNA
Trump thinks that historians a hundred years from now will view him as the best president ever; a tough guy who dispatched his enemies with ease and prevailed against all odds.
In reality, at best, he'll be viewed as an incompetent buffoon who did everything he could to wreck the country.
At worst he'll be noted as a foreign agent who brazenly conspired with Russia to line his own pockets and undermine our country's democracy, going to prison as a result.
Either way I wish I could be cryogenically frozen and brought back to see it.
87
@Ralphie
My hope is that you may not have to wait 100 years to see the true nature of his misdeeds exposed and prosecuted!
28
@Ralphie
I`m not sure if cryogenics are a good idea. If you could be brought back so could trump and all of his clan and minions. Imagine a slow release of trumpian dna back into future discourse. trump forever forever trump! Nah
4
Would be nice if they would do their job with respect to the rest of the massive federal government.
7
@Keith
They have already attempted to do much in that department, but are stalled by the Senate.
When the voting population decides more clearly what they do, or do not, want from government, it will be possible to make progress at actual governance.
45
@Keith. They are. As the adage goes, the snake rots from the head down. In light of the morale-busting, subversive idiocy with regard to our government that oozes from the Swamp-Thing-in-Chief, they're starting with the highest and most urgent duty bestowed on them by our Constitution. Anyone not in tune with that needs to take a Poli-Sci (101) refresher course at their local community college. The Framers were particularly apprehensive about what has happened here in the last two years happening. And here we are. It would be at once laughable and sadly pathetic for this Congress to begin any other manner. The constitutional boundaries this freakshow has breached are endless.
11
@gerard.c.tromp
and a well reasoned answer for @michaeltide