It is time to play hardball (thanks Chris Matthews).
Anyone ignoring a congressional subpoena should be immediately arrested by federal marshals and incarcerated until they are ready to comply. No exceptions, Mr. Barr.
507
Yes, subpoenas without repercussions are the sane thing as having not issued them. They need to have the i tended effect or clear unavoidable repercussions
82
@LM
It's not a Congressional subpoena, it is a Federal Court Ordered Subpoena. Any party in a civil case can obtain a subpoena and have it processed, and served. The Court stamps the Subpoen and makes it servable. If the party to whom it is served does not want to comply, they will respond with a discovery motion of their own, objecting to the subpoena. The moving party will have to schedule a hearing on the objection to complying with the subpoena. Eventually, the matter goes before the presiding Judge on the Case, who will rule one way or another, and sign the opposing party to the motion's order to compel discovery.
This won't take too much time since this matter is in a Federal Court. No Federal Marshalls are going to be called in to enforce a court order.
29
@Susan
Yes, but all the more reason to make Mr. Barr the first arrest. I would change his first name to Diss.
72
AG Barr will have his hands in this foray a handpicked AG????
Trump crew have caused more damage than both Nixon and Raygun to our Constitution combined neither who has committed crimes against humanity like Trump has. Please indict bot his cronies for the same crimes Trump has committed.
3
Democrats are now undermining the Mueller Report. The worst of the findings are in that report. Do they think something was left out of the report? Or are they holding hearings simply to rehash what is in the report? In either case, they look lost.
2
This is just a political grab for the spotlight by some Democratic flunkies. Unfortunately this is going to back fire and actually hurt the Democratic party. The American public is really interested in their families and their jobs. They could care less about Nadler and the other flunkies. Trump will win by default.
4
The 5th Amendment will be used by all, but that will mean their guilty and a trial would be needed????????????????????
I hope they call Epstein.
2
Republican vs. Democrat is the fight that blinds us.
3
Been there...
Little to get excited about here until the "negotiations" are complete.
Dems have caved at every step.
Until these people are sitting before the committee, providing meaningful answers, or in jail, this is another Pelosi nothingburger.
7
Pathetic. House Democrats just want to rerun the Mueller enquiry until they get the 'right' answer. Don't Americans care that their tax money is being squandered this way?
3
The Mueller investigation has pulled in more money than it has spent, because it seized Manafort’s assets.
3
Although the removal of a president from office by the process of impeachment and conviction has never been accomplished in the USA, it stands to reason that the successful completion of doing so will be very complex and trying. A process strewn with seemingly endless legal and political maneuvering. Lies. Excuses. Emotional demagoguery. Threats. Misinformation...
However, the sad fact is that we presently have an unfit, irrational, unprincipled president who is almost certainly deserving of impeachment and conviction.
I repectfully ask those commenters expressing impatience with the early stages of the impeachment process, who are dissatisfied with the Democrats in the House, to consider the fact that those congressmen opposed to the tyranny of King Donald are facing a monumental challange and an unbalanced adversary, as they begin moving toward the accomplishment of an unprecedented goal.
For the good of the nation, we must rid ourselves of Trump. That is clear. The path to conviction, to resignation or to the electoral defeat of Trump is unclear.
At this time, do not be quick to second guess or to abandon those at the center of the fray! Stand in unity with them. Support them as may.
There is more at stake here than I can ever find words to say.
18
I agree completely with your assessment. One must also realize that if this process is not handled carefully and methodically, the end result could be empowering the president further. Congressional democrats are fulfilling their duty and ensuring that that are holding the president accountable for alleged serious crimes. They are the only body that can do this. It’s frustrating to watch the rapid decay of our democracy under this president and the glacial speed of this process, but the alternative of an emboldened Trump, his family and collaborators controlling our country for many years to come is far worse.
5
Nadler should issue one to AG Barr because of his and family connections to Jeff Epstein, the child predator.
Some are calling it the Epstein-Barr virus.
12
More subpoenas that will be ignored without consequence. Honestly I am so sick of these hearings that accomplish nothing.....I hoped that when Trey Gowdy left we might get something done.
Most politicians are morons who don't care what you think. They are in it for themselves.
Middle class continues to suffer with extreme high cost of living decade after decade.
6
I really hope the entitled Republicans indicted are investigated and if necessary jailed. They don’t deserve any better!!!
5
And what is Nadler going to do when everyone ignores the subpoena? Is going to use very stern words?
If he hasn’t arrested Mnuchin and Barr, he won’t do a thing because he’s a coward.
6
Democrats may not be able to beat Trump, but they can sure beat a dead horse.
2
You mean the whole idea of congressional oversight and exposing Trump’s crimes are pointless, because the entire public already understands the threat to our republic by this administration? Even if you recognize this is a criminal administration that is undermining our Constitution, the integrity of our elections and our national security, not everyone does.
2
Re: '...The panel also approved a separate group of subpoenas seeking information about the Trump administration’s practice of separating children from their families at the border..."
Hmmm...
If I receive a subpoena from ANY U.S. court, 'N, blow it off...I get arrested! You, know: black, 'N, white cars with roof lights, hand cuffs, in a, (profoundly), 'non-romantic' setting, (L.O.L), dirty cells, court date(s), bail $$, etc.
Why does 'Trump, et-al' have a special privilege to refuse to respond?
8
You are summoned to appear before congress! Yeah, go fish! Okay, sorry to have bothered you...
3
This president has taught us so many things; such as how much we have relied on "convention" and "normal". What we thought were laws turned out to be "we've always done it".
Like releasing taxes during an election.
We used to think that a subpoena forced a person to show up.
But no. Seems like it's just a Very Important Request, judging from all the subpoenas that have been blown off by this administration.
8
Just think, Checks and Balances used to be a thing too...
5
The Republicans and Trump would do well to go to work on policy rather than obsessing about Congress conducting hearings they find uncomfortable. Two Benghazi hearings taking up just short of 4 years. Clinton appeared live on camera. Patreus in closed session with no member of Congress present, not even Chairman Trey Gowdy, only counsel for the committee and his attorneys. What did he say during his testimony, Mr. Gowdy?
6
The subpoenas are meaningless until they wind their way through the labyrinth of the Federal Court system to the Supreme Court. At that point, Chief Justice Roberts will decide whether we live in a Constitutional Democracy or a Banana Republic.
7
The UN, an MIT and, I believe, a Princeton study have already recognized solid proof we live in an oligarchy. From both sides of the aisle.
No more Citizens United.
Publicly funded, ranked choice elections please.
I want to live in a representative democracy.
7
For almost two years we here the Democrats telling us Trump was going to be nailed for collusion with Putin. We don't hear a peep about that now. Now they are talking about obstruction. What did he obstruct? He gave Mueller free access to all the file they wanted and the staff. He didn't fire Muller or take Rosenstein's offer to resign. A lot that has been talked about is that he criticized the investigation for the time it took and bias. it wasn't too far off. It was discovered that email from his committee about intentions to stop Trump from being president. A couple of New York cops could have dealt with this in two weeks, two months at the most. Now the Democrats are demanding tax forms and a lot more that has nothing to do with the election or collusion. It is all about keeping him off the ballot next year, nothing more.
2
Have you read the Mueller report? Even the introductions? I didn’t think so.
2
This is a slow roll but if things keep up at this pace we should have live televised impeachment proceedings during the most important part of the 2020 elections.
Pelosi is tracking all this with a calendar, not a watch!
4
@Is_the_audit_over_yet
The Republicans deeply hope there are such proceedings. They won't convince any Democrat that isn't already convinced, and will immensely energize Trump's base.
1
Can someone tell me what the point of the Mueller investigation was ?
We have tens of thousands of homeless. Our infrastructure is in shambles. Crime abounds in our inner cities and thousands of people of color are being murdered. Our immigration system is a disaster. No matter how many hearings we have not one is designed to solve interference in our elections. we care only about blame, not solutions. Housing is unaffordable. Personal privacy has vanished. The struggling middle class has way bigger problems than to care abound endless political hearings that have no relevance to their welfare.
Stop it already and do something for the American people!
We will be voting next year and we will be the ultimate arbiters of who stays in office and whole does not.
At this point, I would support a constitutional amendment that requires "None of the Above" to be on the ballot.
1
@Gino G The point of the investigation is: We are no longer the ultimate arbiters......
1
The point of the investigation was to determine if there was any wrongdoing by Trump, his campaign, or staff. If you read just the introductions to both sections of the report, you’ll wonder why the lot of them aren’t behind bars already. But of course you won’t read it and will continue with conservative talking points. Carry on...
1
Approving subpoenas is great and all but it means nothing if there's no teeth behind them. Every other one so far has been ignored.
They should show up or otherwise face what the actress Felicity Huffman faced: early morning raid with guns drawn. That will be the proper wake up call for the likes of these grifters. That yes, they are not above the law.
Sad state of affairs but they fight dirty. It is time we did, too.
5
This action should have been taken by Congress months ago!!
3
Dems taking too much time - playing Trump's slow motion game. Someone needs to light a fire and it's surely not going to be Pelosi.
4
Seems like the roar of a toothless tiger - the Democrats have been in control of the House since January, and all I've seen are speeches about "we will NOT be intimidated" and "we WILL carry out our oversight duties...." while everyone associated with the Executive Branch thumb their noses in utter contempt and indifference. So until I see something TRULY concrete happen that impinges on the arrogance of members of the current administration, I'm not interested in reading more vacuous words resulting in absolutely nothing of consequence.
5
A good day's work!!!
Really?
Dems should focus more on winning elections than all this subpoena stuff. These targeted people have spent hours testifying before (former) lib icon Bob Mueller already, who concluded no collusion, no obstruction.
3
The fastest way for Trump to dispose of the obstruction issue and for House Republicans to stop wining is to fully cooperate with The House Judiciary Committee. After all, we know POTUS is innocent. AG Barr and Trump said so.
1
The Stupid Dems put all their eggs in the "Russian collusion" basket - and the bottom of that basket just might fall out.
"The report uses qualified and vague language to describe key events, indicating that Mueller and his investigators do not actually know for certain whether Russian intelligence officers stole Democratic Party emails, or how those emails were transferred to WikiLeaks.
The report's timeline of events appears to defy logic. According to its narrative, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange announced the publication of Democratic Party emails not only before he received the documents but before he even communicated with the source that provided them.
There is strong reason to doubt Mueller’s suggestion that an alleged Russian cutout called Guccifer 2.0 supplied the stolen emails to Assange.
Mueller’s decision not to interview Assange – a central figure who claims Russia was not behind the hack – suggests an unwillingness to explore avenues of evidence on fundamental questions.
U.S. intelligence officials cannot make definitive conclusions about the hacking of the Democratic National Committee computer servers because they did not analyze those servers themselves. Instead, they relied on the forensics of CrowdStrike, a private contractor for the DNC that was not a neutral party...
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2019/07/05/crowdstrikeout_muellers_own_report_undercuts_its_core_russia-meddling_claims.html
4
Subpoena all of them now.
2
This would make me happier if it didn't involve pulling teeth of the Republicans who are acting out of partisan interests. There is no real backbone here. It's not only a matter of principles but of the legal status of how America runs.
Once upon a time, even during Watergate, everyone it seemed--you know everyone not involved in the scandals--wanted the truth. People were riveted and didn't stop until there was a modicum of justice for real.
Really? Trump gets to, with a few insults on Twitter, influence the way people in power bend on command?
I am wishing upon a star--dark methods for dark times.
I'll do more in the morning.
12
What's the purpose of the subpoenas when they are ignored and the Democrats take no court action? Zilch. Waste of taxpayer time and money.
20
@mtrav And it makes the Democrats look weak.
6
Not only have subpoenas been ignored, representative government and the separation of powers is being smothered. It did not start with this president but when the Republicans in congress showed their authoritarian tint during the Obama tenure. Republicans show no respect, nor interest, in dialogue or compromise with the opposition and they ram their ideas using extra legal means, because they have largely, but not entirely, stacked the courts.
Democrats think that diversity and dialogue are intrinsic to understanding peoples concerns. That is why, I think, that having people come in an explain their thoughts to the congress is good, and if they don't what to, yet they continue to make policy, let there be subpoenas.
7
Is congress somehow more capable than Mueller in finding the truth?
Congress isn’t capable of anything....
4
Which Congress? It changes every two years and 6 years. The only one who refuses to do anything because he is generously bribed to do nothing is Mitch McConnell
3
Mueller found the truth, but how many Americans have read (or are going to read) a 448 page report on his findings?
The idea of having Mueller and his team and his witnesses testify is because most Americans won’t read the report and hence, won’t find the truth that Mueller uncovered.
Most Americans have only heard the fake news about Mueller’s report that AG Barr fed to America.
2
More style over substance from the House Democrats. Move along, nothing to see here.
1
It's about time.
10
no one expects that kushner will be truthful, do they?
6
I fail to understand what the GOP is complaining about pursuing investigations that the House majority deems appropriate to Barr who has become the President's lawyer, and has de facto resigned as the this Country's Attorney General.
In fact the Dems are much more civil, and embracing of the GOP minority, who for the prior years that it controlled the House.
The GOP held useless hearings for years on Benghazi. Devin Nunes held secret meetings with Trump, and held unilateral secret meetings with only the GOP, and not their full bipartisan committee.
And the GOP often refused to subpoena witnesses that the Dems requested for other investigations such as Flint, MI.
Conversely, the Dems have been to fair and civil to their GOP counterparts this year. It's about time that the Dems should throw out the civility they have used thus far.
It has only yielded delays and obfuscation until the 2020 elections. It's time to start playing their game, in order to ascertain the truth before Trump, who according to the Washington Post has lied 10,000 times during his first two years in office.
It's time to throw the gauntlet down!
12
The Supreme Court, in McGrain v. Daugherty, 273 U.S. 135 (1927), opined that either House of Congress has the inherent power to arrest a person who fails to respond to a subpoena, and haul that person before Congress to testify. The person may take the 5th as a response.
"The first of the principal questions, the one which the witness particularly presses on our attention, is, as before shown, whether the Senate -- or the House of Representatives, both being on the same plane in this regard -- has power, through its own process, to compel a private individual to appear before it or one of its committees and give testimony needed to enable it efficiently to exercise a legislative function belonging to it under the Constitution."
...
"We are of opinion that the power of inquiry -- with process to enforce it -- is an essential and appropriate auxiliary to the legislative function."
...
"A legislative body cannot legislate wisely or effectively in the absence of information respecting the conditions which the legislation is intended to affect or change, and where the legislative body does not itself possess the requisite information -- which not infrequently is true -- recourse must be had to others who do possess it. Experience has taught that mere requests for such information often are unavailing, and also that information which is volunteered is not always accurate or complete, so some means of compulsion are essential to obtain what is needed."
13
And if the witness comes before Congress and pleads the 5th Amendment, what will be Congress’ remedy for that?
@Inkspot. Then you take it as read that whatever they are accused of, or their associates are.accused of, is accurate, and proceed apace from there. If Jonny says "I didn't eat the cherry pie, I plead the Fifth", with cherry pie smeared on his face and shirt and an empty pie plate.held behind his back--- you know he ate.that pie.
It is useless and all for show. Democratic party members waste precious time and effort on these endless Q&A. Remember Hilary Clinton in the Benghazi hearing meeting to answer questions from the Republicans. I was impressed by her attitude and arrogance. No doubt that these Democrats will have the same results with Trump staffs.
Does this mean they’re actually going to do their job? Too bad it no longer matters. When Barr said there was no collusion and no obstruction, and Pelosi immediately hit the air waves to announce that she would not impeach, she lost the narrative. Huge blunder on her part. She needs to retire.
9
Pelosi said she would not impeach until there were enough votes in the House to initiate impeachment. Although the process is slowed because Trump believes he can stifle any hearings with legal attacks, it is moving forward with the surety of a dynamite laden freight train. Pelosi is keeping her word “to bring the American people along in this.” The day will come when Trump must confront that train load which will detonate his presidency with surety.
3
I see a lot of bark with no bite. The Democrats in the House have no power to make things happen. Trump is usurping this Democracy and getting away with it. Where are the laws? Why is he getting away with it all? How do we stop him? This is absolutely horrible.
10
@Roger
Democrats have the power to stop it. But Pelosi will not wield that power for some reason.
2
Don’t you even read the newspaper that you are commenting in? The House is moving forward at the rate set by the courts in response to Trump’s many and foolish lawsuits. He may have stiffed and robbed many banks and businesses with that strategy, but in the end, the Article I empowered House will enact Mr. Trump’s White House reality show cancellation.
2
Repercussions must be swift and severe for those ignoring their subpoenas.
No "second chances."
No "giving them the benefit of the doubt."
No "ignorance of the law."
Perp walks, a few nights in the clinker, and severe fines.
No matter who they are.
Dem's need to stop acting like wimpy parents who threaten discipline but never follow through.
I want to see a lot more spine from this day forward, or I am going to be rethinking my confidence in the Dem party.
16
@SLBvt If Madam Speaker had sent the US Marshals down to AG Barr's house to get him out of bed at gun point the night he didn't show up for his subpoena, that would have sent a message....
1
Now they want to re-do Mueller's work, because they don't like his result. They'll re-write it the way they want it.
Hardly. They are continuing his work. He clearly stated that he left the actual work of coming to conclusions to others.
14
Stop the Dog 'n Pony show. Just start Impeachment proceedings so you get better news coverage. Historical news coverage, I might add.
14
To those commenters and administration officials claiming that these subpoenas are all a waste of time, all a “rehashing of the questions asked by the Mueller investigators,” I ask this simple question —
Did I miss something?
Has an unredacted Mueller report been provided to congress or been made public?
19
@Tom W
Yes, you missed the fact that propounding subpoenas does not vitiate the confidentiality and privilege issues that resulted in the redactions.
@GMooG
And who, other than Attorney General Barr, has verified that valid “confidentiality and priviledge issues” are truely the reason for all the redactions?
He used up an awful lot of black magic marker in hiding a great deal of the report.
8
July 11, 2019
It is time for great reporting by way of the Congress hearings as to matter of great concern as to the operations of our managing our systems for executing the laws of land that seek to embrace, enforce, the good and fair practices of the land that we love, serve for the honor and justice transparently and with witness to all those that contribute to resolve for the truthful records of the best reporting -and as notice to all those that would violate the laws we are held to account and encouragement to adjudicate any and all deviations of interest to learn to live smart and with esteem to our fellow citizens' pursuit of happiness for all times.
3
Lock them all up and let them sit in Jail, preferably not a Federal one.
If these refusals of compliance, because of Trump's declaring that the people subpoenaed and not show up at the Hearing, then isn't Trump guilty of Obstruction of Justice?
Are there any attorneys out there who could answer this question?
11
@Jean The central issue that is never discussed in any article about subpoenas and Congress is the fact that there is NO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY able to arrest those who ignore the subpoenas. Barr and the DOJ (i.e. Trump) control the federal marshals, and are not going to order the arrest of anyone Trump doesn't want testifying under oath in front of Congress.
@Susan. I believe it can ask the DC Police to enforce, and the Sargent At Arms of the House can also be delegated. We have jail cells IN the Congress buildings, let's use em.
I can't wait and it's high time.
I'm wondering how much popcorn can I consume. . . .
4
William "Benedict Arnold" Barr should be held in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with the subpoena issued to him to appear, and held in contempt of Congress for lying to Congress about not having "heard" from Mueller after having gotten Mueller's letter objecting to Barr's summary misrepresenting the conclusions of the Mueller Report, and impeached for violating his oath to support and defend the Constitution, and then shunned by every human being in Washington, and everywhere else, who has the misfortune to come into contact with him. And, if the Democrats don't go to court to enforce their subpoenas, they should just go home, being at least satisfied they have met everyone's expectations for them.
12
Subpoena Hillary Clinton. She would be there in a heartbeat. After that, you won't be able to beat back all the R's wanting to get before the committee.
2
So ignoring subpoenas because you refuse to say what some want to hear even if not true is illegal but walking across the border and crying 'asylum' totally fine and applauded. Wow!
1
The important thing now is actually enforcing the subpoenas.
10
If the democrats were really interested in getting an answer to the question of whether the Trump organization was a criminal enterprise, they would subpoena Allen Weisselberg, CFO of Trump Inc.
He must know where all the bodies are hidden.
Why was he suddenly given immunity by the Mueller probe when he is obviously, by the facts, involved in all the shady business deals that Trump made before and after he became president -- including his involvement in the Cohen investigation and conviction? What is being hidden here by the House Judiciary Committee not subpoenaing Weisselberg to find out if Trump and his organization was criminally run? Weisselberg could be the witness who answers those questions under oath. The failure of the judicial committee to subpoena smells fishy.
Do the democrats really want to uphold the Constitution and begin the impeachment proceedings in earnest? Or do they want to be remembered as scared to fight?
If Mueller testifies, one of the questions he should be asked, is why he gave immunity to Weisselberg.
9
and trump will claim executive privilege and the subpoenas to be ignored. No subpoenas have worked so far. If a regular citizen ignored a subpoena they would be sitting in jail. What makes them different? Kushner & the others are first & foremost citizens of the nation...John Q. Public...subject to the same laws as the rest of us. They are not royalty.
7
It's time to impeach! Subpoenas are just yelling in the wind.
7
“They are also seeking information about any talk of presidential pardons for Department of Homeland Security officials involved in carrying out the president’s immigration orders, despite the possibility that some might violate existing law.”
Based on the above passage if this isn’t a fishing exhibition then what does this have to do with the Mueller Investigation and what exactly are the House Democrats attempting to prove ?
@MDCooks8
US Constitution, Article 2, Section 4
“The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
I believe the answer to your what-are-they-attempting-to-prove question is that the representatives in the house are looking for evidence that Donald Trump is guilty of impeachable offenses.
(Note: Trump very likely is.)
5
"Mr. Trump fumed about the new subpoenas on Twitter Thursday morning, urging Democrats to “go back to work” on policy issues rather than trying to take additional “bites at the apple” after the conclusion of Mr. Mueller’s 22-month investigation."
The Dems are doing plenty of policy work. Except, the bill s die in the Senate at the hands of the "Grim Reaper", without even a hearing. If McConnell says it's because Trump would veto the bills, he's being disingenuous. Some of those bills, perhaps many, Trump might sign. This is similar to the GOP tactic of shutting Obama down after 2010: allow nothing that might turn out good to happen while Obama or a Dem House is in power, then blame it on Obama or Dems.
10
one word for Republicans--Bengazi
4
Mathematical correlation.
The number of subpeonas issued relating to Trump activities and the latter's approval rating. As one increases so does the other.
If I were the Dems, I think I'd try a different approach.
1
History has an amazing way of repeating itself. You should listen to Rachel Maddow’s podcast, Bag Man. You you experience history being relived today
3
@Mike Edwards
On the positive side, the administration’s refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas makes it clear, again and again, that they have a great deal to hide.
More importantly, if it can be proven that the president ordered those who were subpoenaed not to comply, then the president is obviously guilty of obstruction of justice.
Mike, issuing these subpoenas is not a meaningless exercise.
5
Remember “The Tortoise and The Hare.” Slow and steady into next year.
123
@EdNY I've seen a lot more tortoises dead in the road than rabbits.
1
@EdNY. The thing about the courts is this - if you move like a tortoise they figure there's no urgency and handle the case like a tortoise. Dragging things into next year only makes it all seem more political.
I want to know what good will the subpoenas do when they are (and have been) successfully and summarily ignored by the recipients? What are the real penalties, who will enforce them, and why haven't there been any consequences thus far? For now, it is has been all talk, but no effective action.
183
@Renee
Patience, Grasshopper.
17
@Renee - The article says they will vote to hold people in “Contempt of Congress “ next week. Keep in mind, one of the Articles Of Impeachment against Nixon was “Obstruction of Congress”.
26
@Renee
I wonder the same thing. Seems like people can easily defy congressional subpoenas. So much for co-equal branch of government.
5
I'm glad the House Judiciary Committee is issuing subpoenas - the opacity of this White House should be a concern to all Americans - but what are they going to do when the White House contemptuously refuses to comply?
9
@Bill
Hopefully have the Capitol Police arrest them.
6
@Bill
They should enforce the subpoenas under the Supreme Court decision in McGrain v. Daugherty, 273 U.S. 135 (1927).
The Supremes opined that:
"The first of the principal questions, the one which the witness particularly presses on our attention, is, as before shown, whether the Senate -- or the House of Representatives, both being on the same plane in this regard -- has power, through its own process, to compel a private individual to appear before it or one of its committees and give testimony needed to enable it efficiently to exercise a legislative function belonging to it under the Constitution."
...
"We are of opinion that the power of inquiry -- with process to enforce it -- is an essential and appropriate auxiliary to the legislative function."
...
"A legislative body cannot legislate wisely or effectively in the absence of information respecting the conditions which the legislation is intended to affect or change, and where the legislative body does not itself possess the requisite information -- which not infrequently is true -- recourse must be had to others who do possess it. Experience has taught that mere requests for such information often are unavailing, and also that information which is volunteered is not always accurate or complete, so some means of compulsion are essential to obtain what is needed."
Basically, the Supremes are saying that the House can arrest subpoenaed witnesses who refuse to appear and testify, who can always invoke the 5th.
4
We have lost the rule of law! The GOP has set precedent that subpoenas mean nothing.
13
Oh good, more Washington kabuki. How about calling it "Benghazi II: The Democrats Strike Back".
3
I can see it now. If the subpoenas are not met, Congress will be forced to fine or jail the lot of them for failure to comply. If, surprisingly, they do comply, every question will be answered by pleading the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, thereby forcing Congress to fine or jail them. To expect anything else would be pronounced naivete on Congress' part. The most honorable of these criminals is Mr. Sessions, who recused himself from the investigation, and by that act proved he knows something very damaging that he would rather hide than bring Trump down. All this presupposes that the Democrats can be tougher than they have demonstrated so far. If they are, there will be a political bloodbath on both sides of the aisle. If they are not, they will bleed alone - again.
9
@Angelsea You can't fine or jail someone merely for exercising their 5th Amendment right against self incrimination. You can if they merely refuse to answer (contempt of Congress),
However, multiple close Trump allies and family pleading the 5th will hurt Trump's brand; he's the one who said pleading the 5th means you're guilty. And it's impeachment-worthy information the more that do it.
5
The whole point of invoking the protection against self-incrimination created by the 5th Amendment would be meaningless if anyone claiming that protection was immediately jailed.
It just gives the prosecution the huge hint that there is something to be discovered. But it is still the prosecutor’s job to find and prove it.
Innocent until proven guilty, though Donald Trump has often said only criminals invoke the 5th Amendment. Double bladed sword, Mr. Trump.
2
The whole situation smells bad. If I got a subpoena I need to show or face the consequences. These people decided they just won't honor it. Never seen anything life it.
29
@Matt - "Smells bad" ... understatement of the century.
11
@Matt
They know that Pelosi and Nadler are cowards. They know they can get away with anything.
@Kurt If I'm the Dems I risk losing another for years to then hopefully restoring order if that's what it takes.
So what. Pelosi will never enforce these subpoenas, so every one of them will make her and the House look weaker and weaker. What a disastrous leadership right now.
5
@Christian Haesemeyer
Pelosi is a very seasoned politician. She knows more than we do. Her judgment can be trusted. Timing and coordination are of extreme importance.
Keep in mind, we have had a popular, recently elected president in our history, Richard Nixon, whose popularity and trust eroded once Congressional hearings were held.
Patience, patience, patience.
5
the justice department is the one that needs to enforce this.
1
Some of them will avoid testifying, but I expect Kelly to comply, and his testimony might be the most damaging.
5
@Ryan - Considering everyone seems under Trump's magical spell, I wouldn't expect anyone to be forthcoming. Trump has some mysterious power to corrupt even good people. Either that, or Russia is helping their buddy with some persuasive extortion. Who know, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but it's astounding how many have sold their soul to Trump.
9
@Ryan Oh, you mean the same Kelly who is now a stock holder in a company providing services to the lock-up-the-immigrants crowd? That Kelly? Surely he has nothing to hide!
5
The House has been proven to be powerless when it comes to subpoenas. The more they issue, the weaker they look. Not one of those subpoenaed will show, and Democrats will then act surprised, wring their hands, and make public harrumphing noises while letting Trump get away with the murder of our democracy. Give money to the few candidates who are running for the Senate (Mark Kelly and Amy McGrath are two). The Senate is where democracy has already died and the only way to bring it back is to take it back from the swampy moist clutches of Mitch McConnell.
10
The House can subpoena all they want: it means nothing. Nothing will come of it, except the DNC will be further marginalized, in the eyes of moderate Americans (the real ones who make up the vast bulk of the country and voters), as a radical, out-of-touch, corrupt organization (not that they have a monopoly). This is merely sound and fury signifying--nothing.
2
You can pretty much assume the White House is going to move to block testimony and refuse evidence. The only thing compelling witnesses to testify is the threat of contempt and criminal prosecution. Congress needs to fry Barr and Ross. Munchin too actually. Let that be a lesson to everyone else.
We can start printing bumper stickers poking fun at the AG's last name. "Get disbarred with Barr, 2019!" That's where most of the White House legal team is headed.
11
1. Why was the Republican Senator Jeff Sessions a first supporter of Trump and appointed AG to protect Trump as many believe? Did he share inside campaign information with his colleagues in Congress?
2. Was Trump a picked candidate by Republicans?
3. Why did both the Republicans and the Russians want Trump to be elected?
4. Why did the Television industry devote a Billion dollars of free airtime to Trump during his campaign?
5. If Trump's campaign manager Manafort was involved in Ukrainian Television, why did he become the Television actor Trump's manager?
6. Why is the NBC network show; Saturday Night Live" trying to make their actor Trump's nightmare so funny?
7. Why did a Republican led Justice department push for the leader of the Republican investigation of a Republican President by a Republican former FBI Director whose report was cleansed by a Republican appointed AG with a bias in which we had the outcome I predicted?
4
What happens when the entire lot gives the House the raspberry?
We have entered a post rule of law, diktat by Don era.
4
I do not see the appropriateness of these subpoenas because we know the relevant facts already.
Mueller's report was incredibly extensive and thorough and indicates that Trump supplied everything that was asked of him. Along the way, he gave impulsive and stupid directives that technically amounted to obstruction of justice in instances outlined in the Mueller report. Trump had the good sense to appoint subordinates who did not follow these foolish directives. The issue now before the country and Congress is prosecutorial discretion - were these offenses so serious that the ultimate remedy of impeachment is called for. Ultimately, no harm was done to the country in my opinion but many people differ. It's time for the Democrats to proceed with impeachment if they truly believe that Trump should be removed based upon the revelations in the Mueller report. Making a rehash of the Mueller investigation is a waste of time.
3
@Alex
Read the report! Read the report! Read the report!
Then you will understand why the guy in the White House is a criminal. You will also realize the mischaracterization of Mr. Barr's letter.
Both of them will not be treated lightly by history.
5
@Alex
Given over half the country only takes to the TV for their news, having Mr. Mueller questioned regarding the report while televised is essential to informing over half the country as to what is actually in it. Remains to be seen whether folks will continue to reject out of hand the substantial attempts to obfuscate their playing games with Russia by Trump and his associates.
3
Question for those who think this is a good idea: What happens next Wednesday when Mueller comes in to testify in front of 2 congressional committees (under the threat of subpoena)? Will he now "spill" as the Democratic party hopes or will he do exactly what he said he would do? Read his report.
I would love to see him come in and say he has already spoken and the matter is closed. If the Democrats hem and haw, threaten, etc. he should read directly from the report. Word for word. All 400+ pages. Let's see how they respond to that.
If he actually cracks and says what he thinks they want to hear, I will have lost all respect for the man and for his years of service as I have already lost all respect for the Democratic congress.
1
@Rosie James So Rosie, I am one of the people who bought and read the entire report for my kindle. What the Dems want is for him to read it! It is very disturbing and shows the Trump organization as a crime family. However, no one is reading it. To hear the Russian connections from the man who wrote the report will be pretty bad for Trump! We have been sold out to Russia.
9
@Rosie James
Have you lost respect for the most corrupt Administration
yet? Mitch McConnell yet? Acosta yet. Barr yet?
Any of the other Cabinet members yet?
5
@Rosie James
And after you read the report you certainly came to the conclusion that Mr. Barr did not truthfully characterize the contents of the report, correct?
Who better to set the record straight than Robert Mueller?
We are all interested in the truth, aren't we?
6
trump is making it very clear that the only way he is leaving the white house is over his dead body.
all dictators feel this way.
12
This is like watching "Casablanca". To quote Captain Renault, " Round up the usual suspects".
3
If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, the House Judiciary Committee is in La-La Land. Why do they expect anyone to respond to these subpoenas? Even former White Counsel Don McGhan's Chief of Staff declined to answer over 200 questions from the committee on orders from the White House.
Until the House starts imposing financial penalties or throwing these bums in jail until they cooperate, nothing is going to change. So Chairman Nadler and his crew should skip the theatrics.
2
This is long overdue. Truthful people have no need to fear their own testimony. It will be accurate and reproducible because there is only one truth.
Congress, as the representative branch of the people, has the authority and responsibility to be sure that the government is operating according to the laws that have been passed and without corruption.
There is ample reason to believe improvements can be made. It is essential for Congress to study the problems, develop solutions, and codify those solutions into new or modified laws. The Congressional authority cannot be blocked indefinitely if we want a democracy operating under our current constitution.
11
@Paul Zorskylooks like your view only applies to republicans and specifoically Trump. Never have the dems been held to your standard
@bob
What I wrote is what Congress should do, always. It is ridiculous that the republicans voted to repeal the ACA with study, without a plan; it clearly was one of the many empty Republican promises which only were ridiculous
1
These subpoenas , along with the other challenges to Trump and his administration, are much better than a failed impeachment effort. The drip drip drip exposure of the nefarious behavior of the Trump cabal can have a better effect- total defeat of Trump and his minions.
14
@TMS
Nonsense. They just continue to make the democrats look like they're wasting time. I'll bet many more Americans are rolling their eyes over this than proclaiming, "Finally!"
This is important only inside the bubble.
2
Of course I wouldn't draw any comparisons here, but just read yesterday that a lot of people who are younger than I am are surprised to learn that Hitler didn't take office because of a coup d'etat, but was actually voted into power and supported in office.
I wonder if the Republicans in Congress ever think about that.
31
@Pat Boice And he did it with only about 1/3of the population voting in his favor.
8
@Pat Boice You should be surprised to learn that- it's completely false. 1933- the final run-off election between Hindenburg and Hitler, Hindenburg won in a landslide. The Nazis won a plurality in the Reichstag, Hitler was appointed Chancellor, then the Reichstag fire, Hindenburg's death and the rest, as they say, is history. You could look it up.
5
@Tony Feller -"The Nazis won a plurality in the Reichstag, Hitler was appointed Chancellor...." Sounds a bit like the Electoral College, doesn't it?
2
Good news - they were all slapped with a Subpoena. Bad news - nothing is going to come out of them as it has happened in the past. Who's testimony by far has been the most damning? Hope Hicks? Trump Jr. ? Kushner ?
7
To all those commenters who despair of these subpoenas being actually complied with: If Trump forbids any of those subpoenaed from obeying a lawful subpoena issued by the House of Representatives, then that act of forbidding compliance in itself must become one of the articles of impeachment. It will be a prima-facie instance of obstruction of justice.
67
@James Miller - Stack that up on the pile. Who cares anymore. No accountability, and Trump knows it.
5
@James Miller
And if there's no impeachment proceeding? It certainly doesn't look as if there will be.
4
Democrats clearly think issuing subpoenas and appearing to go after Trump will win them points. Not with most Americans.
10
@AACNY If true, then "most Americans" are not patriots. The most important part of patriotism is not fighting foreign wars and waving flags on Independence Day. It is holding government officers accountable when they violate the Constitution or the law. Those who think these oversight efforts by Democrats are just nonsense and political games of no consequence cannot claim to love this country.
4
I’d like to see the House Democrats utilize every Constitutional means to get the witnesses to testify. This should be done as absolutely quickly as possible with no concessions that impede the investigations. Giving the benefit of the doubt has done nothing to help the investigation. I think the House Democrats have been waging this effort as if Trump and his administration are normal.
21
They’ll just claim executive privilege. Not sure what the point is of this. No one will testify. Trump could be right, it’s over. He’s won, as terrible as it is, Mueller wasn’t able to provide enough of a damning report to convince half the country that Trump did anything wrong
5
What a waste of time! The MR proved Trump's innocence. Accept it and move on! Thank you.
6
@Southern Boy
The MR? What in the world does the Mayor of Richmond have to do with this?
Oh! It just occurred to me that by “MR”, you might be implying that the report issued by the investigative committee headed by Robert Mueller completely exonerated the president!
Southern Boy, nothing could be farther from the truth.
25
@Southern Boy
You should read the piece in the Daily Beast that made connections Mueller avoided.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/robert-mueller-missed-the-crime-trumps-campaign-coordinated-with-russia?ref=undefined
chrisinauburn/Union supporter.
4
@Southern Boy It is quite apparent you have not read Mueller's report.
5
I wonder how the Republicans would do this if the roles were reversed. They always go for the gut punch and no prisoners taken approach. I'd like to see Dems do that for a change.
Surely that can't be more shocking than the daily barrage of misconduct we get from this administration. Wishful thinking but then again that's why the opposition is the GOP - they check their morals in at the door and wear Religion on their sleeve to promote their agenda. Their plan is always to win regardless of where chips fall. I think I'll stick with the side that at least aims at a higher moral ground even though we seldom reach it.
14
It is time to begin arresting and detaining those persons who refuse to comply with legal congressional subpoenas, charging them with contempt of congress. Lock them up until they comply with the subpoena that requires them to testify.
This business of Trump and the members of his administration acting as if they are above the law must be brought to a swift and decisive conclusion.
The constitution was written by the hand of James Madison. He is also credited with having written additional documents regarding the intentions of our founding fathers. Mr. Madison made it very clear in these writings that “the representatives of the people,” that is, the House of Representatives, should wield the greatest power of any body within the federal structure.
It is time for the house to exercise that power.
24
Twitter forecast for next few months:
Dark clouds rolling in and expect to be showered with tweets about Obama’s “Deep State” conspiracy cabal comprised of FBI, CIA, Hillary, et. al.
7
@JH
Actually it will be the IG report. I'm sure everyone will embrace it and crow about the importance of reading it.
Here is what will happen with the new subpoenas:
They will be ignored, the subjects will not show up, if the do, they will plea the Fifth, or else their lawyers will repeatedly object, as in the case of Hope Hicks.
The House Dems need a new tactic. It's obvious that their recent actions have been ineffective. When rebuffed, they have made no attempts to enforce their requests.
Trump is making them look like fools. This a new kind of presidency ( such as it is), and you need to think more originally on how to handle it.
There was talk of fines. Do it. Have the House Sergeant at Arms haul them out of bed in the middle of the night and perp walked in front of the press. Yes, you can actually do that! And there is a small cell/prison inside the House itself. Make use of it. After all it has already been paid for by taxpayers
Whatever you do, stop sitting on your hands. Be daring, be bold, be original. Stop twiddling your thumbs and raising your fists in indignation.
64
Perhaps we could put all those who defy a subpoena in the same cell. Each gets a sleeping bag, no soap or toothbrush and limited food. We need a zero tolerance policy to show these "bad hombres" (and mala mujeres) that we're tough on crime.
1
Be careful here. Only call witnesses that can add to what Mueller already has given you.
If you witch hunt, throw a blanket over anybody connected to Trump, you will not only be as wrong as republicans it could backfire on you in Nov.
2
The president tweets they should deal with policy issues - the House has passed many bills related to policy and Mitch refuses to bring them to the floor. Too bad he doesn't suggest the Senate get something done besides rubber stamping all his court appointees.... but we know that would make the Republican senators go on the record for some of their beliefs and that would put their reelection at risk.
23
Geez. Like they are really going to show up. Absolutely a freak show and not being wealthy, I’m forced to pay for it.
12
@Fausto Alarcón
Democrats are simply playing their leftwing. Not actually doing anything but giving the impression that action is occurring. Simply issuing a subpoena is enough.
1
Trump's whole plan is to stonewall until 2020 election, and so far it's working quite effectively. Little doubt it will take endless legal challenges to finally get these people in front of Congress. It's obvious at this point, Trump is not accountable to anyone. Mueller pretty much said as much, if you account for McConnell and the GOP Senate majority. We have a dictator.
31
@Character Counts Well you’re close. It’s not that Trump isn’t accountable to anyone. He certainly isn’t accountable to Mueller or (if you understand separation of powers) Nadler. But, unlike a dictator, he’s accountable to the 60 million people that voted for him to lead the executive branch.
Funny to hear all this talk of “he’s a dictator” after 8 years of Mr. I’ve-Got-A-Pen-And-A-Phone / I made my own deals on climate and Iran / etc etc. Farcical really.
4
@Rick
Mueller isn't the final word, and absent actual charges, his report contains just his opinions. "Mueller's musings" as they've been called.
1
It's a shame that we have to rely on Congress for law enforcement just because the Justice Department won't do its job.
54
@Ryan
It's a shame that you cannot accept the findings of the Justice Department.
4
Time is running out for the House Judiciary Committee. The Trump train is moving ahead fast regardless. It's final destination seems to be Wreckville. Pelosi is at a loss. Schumer is powerless, McConnell is happy to stay below radar. The ultimate loser is going to be Trump's base of support who struggle to make ends meet, imagining Trump to be their savior.
10
More subpoenas? Trump’s already blocked all the previous ones, so good luck with that! Congressional Democrats are just showing their fecklessness.
6
@Randall Pouwels ignored is not the same as blocked. only a court can block a subpoena, and afaik that hasn't happened yet. It will be real interesting to see what happens if a court upholds these subpoenas, will they then hold the subpoena targets in contempt if they continue to ignore the subpoena ?
6
My favorite response is "asked and answered" to every question posed by the attorneys.........These kinds love to gang up on the witness and attempt to trick him into providing an answer that is in disagreement with a previous one.........and thus inadvertently perjure himself. I suppose every question asked by the Committee members would be one previously asked by the Mueller crew and answered by the witness. Now if Christopher Steele could be subpoenaed........
5
@hsrcpa I thought Trey Gowdy is handling that one?
"If they haven't done anything, there is nothing to fear."
15
Kudos to Mr. Nadler and his team for following through. These people need to testify about a number of issues related to Mr. Trump and his obstruction of justice, among other things.
17
Hooray for first steps -- but that's all it is. They'll also need to subpoena the truth out of each witness. And when the committee catches Trumpists in their signature fabrications and phony "executive privilege" claims, Representatives must be ready with swift penalties intended to put the skids to dissembling.
Republican Congresspeople don't seem to recognize that each time they allow Trump to step on their powers, they're relinquishing some element of positive influence the governmental branch may never get back. They may get a short-term boost, a slap on the back from their WH boy, but they may lose legitimate force going forward to stop their own lose canon or that of any future administration, of any party.
Lousy long-term presidence gets set when Congress cravenly foresakes its constitutional responsibility.
8
Don’t worry we haven’t forgotten Obama and his gang.
2
@Piotr
Haven’t forgotten “Obama and his gang” for what? Emails and a tan suit?
4
"'Today’s subpoena binge is an effort to change the narrative,” Mr. Collins said. “It is a show of force. It is a chance for the chairman to prove to his rank and file, and the rest of the Democratic caucus, he can be tough on the Trump administration after being pushed around for six months.'"
To all the Republicans in the House, and the Senate, and to all Republicans in general, I'd like you to mull over a few phrases. Tit for tat. What goes around, comes around. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Nobody loves a cry baby. What you did unto others, you deserve to have done unto you; accept it as your due. Whiners get no respect because they deserve none. Ditto, liars.
And one more thing, this directed to the Senate in general and Mitch McConnell in particular: Your day is coming.
31
Go for it! And there's a big difference vs. the Bengazi and Planned Parenthood "show trial" hearings. This time there actually is misconduct and crimes to uncover.
19
It would be helpful in these articles for the journalists to take the next obvious step and include information on what happens when these subpoenas are ignored. From what I understand, it's a two-step process of a declaration of contempt followed by possible legal action as outlined here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-congress-subpoena-explainer/explainer-how-powerful-are-congress-subpoenas-contempt-citations-idUSKCN1S81FP
11
Long overdue! Dems know how to lose elections by not fulfilling their Constitutional duties. They surely will be voted out by the Voters that elected them to be a check on this Administration and they can't even do that without stumbling around Republicans would have been halfway through their Benghazi investigation, but then again, the other WH's complied with subpoenas and did not have a fat corrupt AG to back them up. When will it end?
General Kelly is too busy charging the American taxpayers $750.00 a day for caging children at the border, Kushner has to hang with his BFF the Saudi who used a hack saw to a journalist, Rosenstein is busy figuring out how to lie about what really happened between AG Barr and Mueller, and Sessions is busy trying to decide if he will run again for the Senate. None will show up and the charade continues.
12
Ask Kushner if the billion $ bailout he got from Qatar was connected to his middle east visit to Saudi Arabia and if Saudi buying condos from Trump affect his foreign policies (tongue in cheek) We know the Trump/Kushner families are a pack of grifters cashing in on the presidency that is becoming a dictatorship before our eyes.
21
What difference, at this point, does it matter?
4
@William
Democrats' leftwing will crucify them if they don't do something. Here's their "something."
2
The Trump Family crime syndicate and outlaw Administration needs to be held to account! Can't wait to see this proceed!
11
"Despite rancorous Republican opposition,"
We Democrats remember the Bengazi hearings. And the 12 plus hours of grueling questioning the Republicans put Hillary Clinton through.
Let's see if those supenoed by the Judical Committee can handle themselves the way HRC did that day.
482
And class. And grace.
47
You mean get away with lying?
2
@Mark Singleton
Mark, what do you know that none of the Republicans at the Benghazi hearings didn't know (and to this day still don't know)?
19
I want to see them all testify in public.
449
@Doug, and naked, apart from Donald obviously.....mushroom, if you know what i mean
1
A dozen more examples of how Epstein was treated 11 years ago. The rich powerful do and say whatever they want with impunity.
46
Is anyone investigating Democrat Cyrus Vance or the other Democrats that wanted to let Epstein walk during the Obama Administration? I can’t wait to hear what other politicians and businessmen were involved with young girls. Why didn’t Vance go after the Republicans? Were Democrats also guilty?
4
I've only known him from video clips but Mr. Nadler appears to me as being not a very dynamic individual. I believe the results of his flurry of subpoenas will be similarly unimpressive.
8
@blgreenie You want him to do back-flips while handing out the subpoenas or what?
11
Ever notice how the really good accountants, tax specialists, and suchlike folks tend to look a lot like Jerry Nadler?
10
@blgreenie -This country needs good lawyers and strategists better and smarter than the organized criminals running this administration.
6
It should be expected that the administration will aggressively lobby the subpoenaed witnesses to ignore said subpoenas, thus creating yet another instance of obstruction of justice by the President and lead to possible contempt charges and further political polarization.
23
@R.C. When will we know for sure that this administration is a coup! Soon I hope!
McConnell's GOP, which refused to consider Obama's nomination to the Supreme Court, and who have rammed through their own SCOTUS appointments with a meager majority are complaining about Democrats wielding power? That's rich.
90
Big difference between abuse of power and harassment and Constitutional prerogative.
1
It is about time for this. Let's hope they show-up and tell the truth. We have to stop any more obstruction of Congress.
13
Very few Americans will read the entire Muller report. It is
likely that there will be a much higher following and response
to the witnesses subpoenaed by Congress as they testify.
Thank you Congress. Bring it on !
36
@Neil
They have read the Mueller's reports conclusions and heard from Barr.
1
@AACNY
Barr was too brief and Mueller handed
over his report to Congress.
" Here it is..."
What happens if Mueller doesn't show up? Didn't he say during his statement, "This is it for me. Goodbye."
2
Yes, but you can't expect Democrats to give up on their hope of sabotaging the president's image. It's all about politics, not about what's right.
1
All we need is one John Dean. Just one. An Alexander Butterfield 2.0 would be nice, too. Hey, it happened once, it could happen again; and Nixon wasn’t even all that bad, if you compare him to Trump.
17
Kelly is much to busy charging the government $750 per day to house kids in tents. He won't be able to attend.
5
Are all these subpoenas to testify to Jerry Nadler in person just proving is that Jerry can't read for himself what's in Mueller's report? Can't the Mueller report simply be put on tape or podcast for a lot less cost?
3
@John Doe, unfortunately most Americans including the men noriry’s president don’t seem to read. Perhaps they will pay more attention to a TV real reality show called “Obstruction of Justice”. If the wanted a primer, they could also read “Blind Ambition” by John Dean. You might want to put it on your reading list.
3
@John Doe The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts. It will be streaming here: https://lawworksaction.org/the-invest... Presented by Law Works #TheInvestigation
The Investigation was written by Robert Schenkkan, a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning screenwriter and playwright, and the live cast includes Annette Bening, Kevin Kline, John Lithgow, Frederick Weller, Ben Mckenzie, Michael Shannon, Noah Emmerich, Justin Long, Jason Alexander, Gina Gershon, Wilson Cruz, Joel Grey, Alyssa Milano, Kyra Sedgwick, Alfre Woodard, Piper Perabo, Zachary Quinto, and Aidan Quinn, with additional participation by Sigourney Weaver, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mark Hamill and more.
3
@Joyce, so you admit that Barr is right, this is all purely just to make a spectacle out of something which isn’t otherwise apparent and hope the court of public opinion will hold sway? The show must go on and so much for “the rule of law.” But we knew already that Dems could care less about that when we see how they feel towards the meaninglessness of our immigration laws.
I just want to see Trump’s tax returns. I don’t think the American people are asking too much. They will be far more interesting than people who will continue to do a no show and get away with it. Enough already! This whole thing is far worse than any bad soap opera.
10
The Democrats aren't a political party any longer. Undone by Hillary Clinton, they've morphed into a loose mob of individuals, kind of on the same wavelength but mostly not, posturing and preening, self-concerned with the next sound bite and not even pretending to legislate. From FDR, Truman, Sam Rayburn, the Kennedys, Tip O'Neil, Mondale, Gore, Bill Clinton, et al to this. Amazing.
4
@Billy H., but it sure was OK when the Republicans investigated Bengazi, the email servers and oral sex in the Oval Office. At least no one was conspiring then with the Russians and laundering their dirty money.
And you might want to address the issue of those folks at the White House, with questionable security “clearances” now operating on private servers, texts and outside normal diplomatic channels?
That doesn’t seem to bother you though.
12
@Joyce . Hi. If you could cite to your reason for thinking that people with security clearances in this admin are using private servers, etc., and I agreed your source was legitimate, then yes it would bother me. But I doubt you can. The Dems want it to be going bad for the other side that doesn't make it so. Wishing on a star is great for kids but maybe not so great for adults left to consider real word concerns. Thanks.
So, for 2, 2 1/2 years, we've been hearing, "Wait for the Mueller report,". Now, since you didn't hear what you wanted to hear, you're going to squeeze these witnesses, threaten them with jail, rape in prison, whatever it takes, just like Cohen, to make them roll over. With the stance you've taken on the illegals (let them all in, they'll vote for us as soon as we legalise them!), you are pretty much assuring Trump of another 4 years. Are you sure that's what you want?
3
@BorisRoberts Obviously you meant to say the unredacted Mueller report.
1
Well, they better start putting some bite into these things by putting people in jail for refusing to comply. When you already have Barr and Mnuchin and everyone else smirking around and openly making jokes about defying subpoenas, then I don't think these will be any different. They think they can get away with anything because, so far, they have been getting away with everything.
13
Stop the investigations. Get a life and start doing some legislating that can be signed. Stop being like Republicans with their attempts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act.
2
@News User Does not matter what they pass. Have you not heard of the "Grim Reaper" Mitch where legislation goes to die. Pay attention. He has some 100 Bills sitting on his Desk that have already been passed. Try to keep up--please.
10
@News User, oversight of the executive branch is the Constitutional duty of the Congress. I suggest you take the time to read the document. When the Executive branch oversteps it’s bounds and obstructs justice - fairly plain in the Mueller report - the Congress must do it’s job. Simply because the previous Congress rolled over and became complicit in this obstruction doesn’t mean the current Congress should also shirk its responsibility.
8
@sugars
100 bills just as Republicans kept passing bills to kill ACA but weren't going anywhere. Time for these clowns to start passing legislation that means something. In addition the 4 of the squad are a distraction. So are all those vying to be President.
Keep subpoenaing them. Keep the pressure on.
62
@Susan
You think these subpoenas will lead to something? They will not. It's already been demonstrated that witnesses can lie to their faces, and nothing will happen.
Toothless and everyone knows it.
2
Trump came into office declaring he would clean up the swamp in Washington. Instead he has created his own - a much, much worse one. Now we’re reliant on the House to do the job. Whatever it takes is fine with me. At the very least, it will help expose more of the deep corruption and obstruction that this president has brought with him.
64
I’ll say those subpoenetad show up. Otherwise, nobody should show up when the GOP issues a subpoena ever.
Barr is indeed in contempt of Congress and the Laws of this country. His throwing his own staff at DOJ under the bus just to follow a clearly illegal tweet asking for the clearly illegal request to force citizenship questions on the census under false pretenses is one of the most disgraceful acts of any Attorney General.
15
I know my own sorry senator is the biggest hypocrite in Congress but the Georgia representative gives him a run for his money.
15
@Lee My representative is apparently friends with yours. He blames Democrats for everything, including the cruel treatment of immigrants at the border.
4
It's about time!
10
The only way to protect our democracy from this criminal republican party is to take every single legal step necessary to hold them accountable, despite their whining and crying. Democrats must be relentless and unwavering. I wish this wasn't necessary, but it is. We are now in a zero-sum game, and the republican party made it that way. There won't be any compromise ever again. But failure to 'stick it to the regressives' every single day will only hasten our demise.
36
"House Democrats Subpoena a Who’s Who of Mueller Witnesses"
Now we are getting somewhere. As the chairman said, they have given the Trump organization plenty of time, more time than they should have in my estimation.
All Americans have every right to know the truth and Trump and his people don't want to supply it. Trump telling his staff and former staff members to not show up for hearings, refuse to tell what they know and just ignore a subpoena is the clearest sign that there are activities that may be crimes we should know about.
32
Are democratic voters supposed to be impressed with this action?
If dem lawmakers want votes next year, they better start acting fast and with determination to stop the emperor Drumph. Get material punishment to McGahn and others who have defied past subpoenas.
3
@Assay
What sort of punishment would that be, since they're all likely to be pardoned?
3
Add me to the group of people who predict this is all political theater and Nadler and the committee will continue to be outplayed and embarrassed by the Trump administration.
The democrats have no guts and deserve to lose in 2020.
This is coming from a lefty who would love to see the dems prevail.
3
Don’t for a minute believe your final sentence,Tedd !
2
Until Democrats actually enforce subpoenas that are ignored with fines and jail time they are useless. This is too little, too late and part of the Pelosi slow-walk. Every day the president is more lawless and every day Pelosi is more irresponsible with her appeasement. She lost the House once already. She's fixing to lose it again. Jerry, unfortunately, is only following orders. We need to replace them both, but by the time of the next election, it's going to be too late.
8
Something is terribly wrong with a system that permits powerful people to flagrantly give the finger to Congressional subpoenas and suffer no consequences. One expects this in banana republics and autocracies—where they are protected by their personal ties to the dictator—but in the United States of America? Perhaps I've missed some changes that have taken place in our republic.
24
This is dumb. I’m a liberal leftist Trump loather. But this is ridiculous. Do democrats have any sense of framing? Or public relations? Oversight and accountability blah blah blah. It’s in the report that he committed impeachable offenses. Impeach him or don't. You’re not going to uncover any new special magic crime that is going to all of the sudden make his supporters and the Republican majority in the Senate want to convict him. This makes Democrats look desperate, and weak. And it makes Trump look vindicated, falsely.
7
@Erik Trump can't be impeached without hearings and if people won't show up for those hearings, the answer is subpoena power. What would you have the House do instead?
2
@Erik I agree that the Dems look weak. But they need Mueller and others to testify before the committees so that the public will get a good look on TV. Right now, very few of the people have read the Mueller Report, so they really have no idea of what's in it.
1
@Barbara I understand your point and it’s valid, but he CAN be impeached without hearings. And the subpoenas should be enforced by a federal law-enforcement agent if they are ignored. Otherwise they are for show.
1
Awesome.
All of this Dem nonsense will only go to securing our President's reelection in 2020!
Thank you!!
3
Again total dangerous and irresponsible nonsense by the congressional democrats. All of these individuals have already testified multiple times about the same thing. It is just a circus and harassment show, but the democratic base will not figure that out, and how this garbage interferes with governance... .
8
"Fooling some of the people all of the time defines Trump's hard-core base."
12
You can keep going with the assumptions that the Democrats are the smart ones, but you get no results. Those Trump basement dwellers, keep beating you. Smarter, indeed.
2
I am tired of headlines and articles saying that the Democrats are issuing subpoenas. It's the House Judiciary Committee (as this article correctly states in the text, but many do not). Yes, it's a party line vote. But it's not the Democrats. It's the House of Representatives.
110
@John Magee
Well said, and excellent reminder of how the media games out the whole political process.
Whoa.
See Moe go.
Putting on the side show.
He didn't get the memo.
The diehard commando.
With the smarts of a water buffalo.
I'll hold my applause until the subpoenas are actually served, and if ignored, those defying the will of the court are imprisoned for their disdain for the law; in some, their dereliction of duty to the Constitution.
Yes, some of the committee actions are political payback to the republicans (Benghazi anyone? for starters).
That reality is not as important to the real issue.
The real issue is the flagrant contempt for governance, rule of law demonstrated by the GOP and its leader, Donald Trump. Historians will note this administration and its republican apologists as the most corrupt, banal and self-aggrandizing in the history of our country.
A sad commentary on anyone who continues to support republican politicians for any office above local dog catcher.
117
"They are also seeking information about any talk of presidential pardons for Department of Homeland Security officials involved in carrying out the president’s immigration orders, despite the possibility that some might violate existing law."
I don't understand this statement. It is unclear what "some" is. Is it the potential "pardons" that might violate existing law or is it the President's immigration "orders" that might violate existing law, or both?
If the existing presidential orders violate existing US Constitutional, Federal, or even State Law (Texas), wouldn't the pardons still be lawful?
I am all for this set of subpoenas because the evidence if the Democrats seek to obtain, is delivered, there is a good chance the Trump Administration will suffer criminal charges for its child abuse of the children of migrant parents seeking asylum.
8
It's about time this happened!
18
@Dolly Patterson
100% agree.
These subpoenas will help in the reelection of our President in 2020!!
Thank you!
2
Mr. Nadler, you need to put your money where your mouth is. A subpoena is meaningless if there is no follow up when it is ignored. And ignored it/they will be. We appreciate the House's efforts to date, but that is all they are...efforts with no results. One step forward yet two steps backwards is the name of this weak game. I am losing all patience mostly with this administration but also with our Democratic House. Words are cheap...DO something. Awaiting 2020 is an eternity.
37
I hope that these folks are prepared to see Trump out of the White House and into a maxi pen if he is convicted of any felony. He can die without ever again hearing a human voice or seeing daylight, and I'll begin to believe in a just God again.
10
@William Burgess Leavenworth
Thank you!
Your comments are a perfect example of what the Dems stand for!
Hatred and nothing else....
Wanting the President to die so you can believe in a "just God"???
You lose an election and your faith in God goes out the window.
Figures.
I hope Nadler reads these comments to understand the total frustration Americans have with their lackadaisical approach to Congressional subpoenas and the Executive Branch’s uneven bullying and obstruction of Congress.
13
And when, where and how will the House Democrats enforce their subpoenas if they are defied?
Ask Benjamin Netanyahu and/or Vladimir Putin for help?
Mitch McConnell? Nancy Pelosi? Sean Hannity? Chuck Schumer? Kevin McCarthy? Merrick Garland? John Roberts? Sheldon Adelson? Charles Kushner? Kim Jong Un?
6
@Blackmamba
Hows a bout The Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives
1
Dear Mr. Nadler: Thank you for this but please tell us what will happen when not one of these people show up. There must be consequences!
204
What a joke. If anyone else got subpoenas and failed to respond the U. S. MARSHALL would be knocking at our door!
60
@Rick
No, they wouldn't. That's not what they do, and not how subpoenas work.
2
@GMooG. Then what?
1
Republicans want the House to get back to work? Tell Mitch McConnell to schedule some votes on legislation already written. If you block every single thing from a vote, why should the House send more over. We're paying them. They should do something. Investigating every traitor and crook in the Executive sounds like a great way to spend time.
192
@T
The House has passed 49 Bills since January.
Mitch McConnell is still beating his head on the floor and being all waily-waily, but he won't touch a one of them.
That is because he really doesn't want any opportunity for one of his Hostage-Republicans to vote against him.
There will probably be about 200 Bills passed by the House before the 2020 Election - and he is not going to let any one of them be brought to the Senate Floor.
Way to go, Mitch!
I wonder how many of your constitutents could have their lives improved by those Bills you refuse to vote on...
All of them, I'll bet.
2020 can't come soon enough.
You really have lost track of what's going on, Mitch.
24
(Love the Terry Prachett reference!)
2
It is clear that members of both parties hate each other. The Republicans represent white, wealthy people, evangelicals, racists, and nativists. The Democrats represent blacks and minorities, white liberals, and gays. The two parties are involved in a titanic struggle over who will control America after whites become a minority in about 20 years.
The Republicans and whites should not worry too much. In South Africa, even though blacks now control the political structure, whites retain most of the industry and wealth.
1
@Diogenes
It's a shame you view this entire discussion only though identity...
I could be a blue skinned quad-sexual and still recognize corruption and illegality when I see it in the current republican party and this White House.
I hadn't even considered what the demographics of this country will be like in 20 years... only whether or not our country will still be a democracy.
9
Please, $25,000 per day fine for failing to testify
101
Ditto!
15
@New World
Hopefully, they will all show up.
And give no other info than what is already known.
The Dems need to keep this circus going in their belief these proceedings will hand them the election in 2020.
It won't. And they know it.
But it is very entertaining to see the Dems infighting and how desperate they are to make our President pay for the mistakes they made in 2016!!
Keep it going! Better than any show on TV!
@New World
Put it on a sliding scale, according to their *claims* of net worth!
Or, for those who prefer flat tax approaches, a 2-3% flat monthly tax on their wealth should do it!
2
none of them will comply
1
I get it. Nadler is going through the motions however a subpoena needs to have teeth if defied and that hammer needs to come down swiftly on those that defy a Congressional subpoena.
This is not a joke. This is not play government in a sand lot.
If Congress doesn’t swiftly and harshly deal with obstructionists to subpoenas then there has been an utter breakdown of the powers of this branch of government.
39
As others have already stated here, until those who defy subpoenas to testify are incarcerated until they agree to cooperate, nothing is going to happen.
Isn't it time to stop talking the talk and begin walking the walk?
70
Hey House!
Do your job.
18
@David Buskirk
Hey David, they are! And this they are required to do this by their oath of office - to protect and defend the Constitution, that document the President never read, or had read to him.
18
@David Buskirk Hey, Senate! Stop stonewalling bills sent by the House for vote. That's on you. Mitch!
9
Mr President, Sir.
Your immigrant round up distraction is used up.
Back to reality, Sir.
40
That’s assuming anything related to this administration has even the most ephemeral connection to reality...
1
It is is job to enforce the law. Yes, those little notes on immigration are laws.
High time...what took so long...
10
How will Mr. Pecker be able to use presidential privilege ?
10
Please, can we learn from Mr Nadler and Mr Hoyer approximately how long it will take the House to go to court to enforce those subpoenas, and when the American public might actually see Sessions, Rosenstein, Kelly, Kushner, Lewandowski, and Pecker sitting under oath before their committees?
41
@Susan
The Democrats have filed suit against President Trump. You can see the case on a public website for Federal Cases. It was filed in the Southern District of New York. It is civil suit, I believe at the moment, because the defendants, the Trump family, have not been charged with any crimes. Trump countersued I believe, and lost in a Motion.
All civil cases, Federal or Civil, have procedural law behind and underneath them.
In Federal law, the discovery procedures are extremely strict, and there are specific calendar deadlines to comply with discovery that are much shorter in duration than in any State discovery procedure.
The answer to your question, therefore, is really soon, Trump has to comply with the discovery demands very soon.
11
Please, oh please, get US Marshalls to pick these people up! They are guilty as sin, and everyone knows it. Trust me, if you lived in New York City the past 3 decades (I was there from 1989 until 2016: 28 years), then you know what a con man Trump is, or thought to be by the people who know him the best: other New York City residents. People would talk horrifically about him in elevators, or anywhere else. The shared dislike for this man was ubiquirous. I mean everyone disliked or hated him. He was the butt of jokes in all kinds of public spaces (besides elevators) in subways, buses, etc.
57
Trump won. Too little too late. He's the master of the news cycle and his campaign messaging arm of his re-election effort, Fox News, has already beaten the message into the voters that Trump is clean as a whistle. Now if we can keep Trump from running for a 3rd, 4th, his children running after he passes away, Ivanka will be our first woman president, then her children... We can hopefully stop the Trump dynasty after his second term?
2
Isn't "crazy" defined as doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result?
6
@DCBinNYC
Do you mean like the NINE hearings about Benghazi that the Republicans held?
6
@DCBinNYC think it's "insanity", but agree with you!
1
No, that's a rehab saying. A 12 step program talking point.
And what will happen when those subpoenas are ignored? I don't mind aggressive action being taken, I do mind when those actions are so easily counteracted because there is no follow up. I'm happy that the Democrats are finally bringing a gun to the gun fight but it would help if it was loaded.
27
@Rick Gage
This is Federal. In a Federal Case, if either party fails to comply with discovery, not only are they severely sanctioned, as in having to pay all of the attorney fees for the prevailing party, but the Court can rule against the party who fails to comply with criminal sanctions, and rule against them. It's a reason why attorneys avoid Federal Court.
6
Finally! A step towards accountability. For over two years I have thought I must be living in a third world banana republic.
May Speaker Pelosi and Democrats in Congress succeed in restoring America to a land of law and order.
38
Predictions:
Trump will nullify the subpoena power of Congress by Executive Order.
The Supreme Court will uphold this, claiming that the Congress oversight responsibility does not empower it to subpoena anyone unless approved by the White House.
40.5% of the American public will agree with this.
4
@IowaFarmer
Love the humor....you are being funny, right? Wait, could this really happen? Henny Penny, the sky is falling!
@IowaFarmer The other 59.5% of the citizenry will come after Trump with pitchforks and torches.
5
It's horrifying to recognize that what you say is not hyperbole or satire but our all-too-predictable future...unless and until congress does some defiantly radical intervention.
2
Why not subpoena Trump himself? The DOJ policy of not indicting a sitting president does not include a bar on issuing him a subpoena. I said a bar, not William Barr!
12
This was basically the way the Watergate committees in the House and Senate proceeded. Orderliness and precedent may not satisfy everyone, but in the long run it works well and has potential to produce meaningful results.
139
@Doc
I don't think that the investigatory committee against Richard Nixon, president then, filed a lawsuit in a Federal Court against him.
This is different. This proceeding is being held in a Federal Court.
1
@RR
You are mistaken. These are subpoenas to appear before the House Judiciary Committee. They have nothing to do with a Federal Court.
2
@Doc - By long run, do you mean sometime in the next decade?
3
They’ll just refuse, things end up in court which will go on for years...
8
Wonderful. More subpoenas to either illegally ignore or claim phantom Executive Privilege during testimony.
34
You know they'll continue to obstruct. I truly wonder if we'll ever get anyone to testify and give the American public the truth it rightly deserves.
38
This is still a thing?
6
What a waste, why did we have a special counsel just to politically rehash?
6
@Bob
Because Bill Barr lied.
39
@Bob
Because Mueller basically told Congress: "I'm not empowered to address the situation; it's in your hands."
15
It's about time the House started taking their constitutional responsibilities seriously!
50
@Jon - I think you must mean the Senate, Jon. The House just became the ruling party 6 months ago.
15
I wish I could view this as great news, a step in the right direction to finally exposing the truth about trump, but I can’t. How many of these people will actually show up and testify? Zero. The White House will invoked executive privilege to shield all of them from talking to Congress or giving up documents. I applaud the committee for doing this and not just sitting idly by, but sadly nothing will come of this.
9
@Tam I know. I got hopeful myself in the beginning, but now it’s a joke.
@Tam
The Times is kind of masking the fact that this is not an "effort" but about a lawsuit in progress.
And to the person who responsded to Tam, you don't "give up" in a lawsuit. The Democrats have just begun. Trump tried and failed to side rail this case already.
2
Complain about the subpoenas all you'd like; almost all have the word "former" in front of their title.
4
It's about time we had oversight of this criminal president and administration.
And if any of these people defy their subpoenas on behalf of Trump please fine and/or jail them and begin impeachment hearings.
Nixon's articles of impeachment included defiance of Congressional subpoenas. It's past time to hold this lying, lawless grifter accountable.
276
Nice try, but this is all a waste of time because the Democrats will back down when the witnesses refuse to testify at generalissimo trump’s command. Issuing subpoenas is an empty gesture if the intestinal fortitude to judicially compel the witness to appear is lacking.
12
@JMN
Rep. Adam Schiff, of Burbank, CA, is more than a match for any of the Trump crime family gangsters. Schiff will never give up. The walls are closing in on Mad King Donald.
5
@Otis Tarnow-Loeffler
Caspar Milquetoast? Surely you jest!
2
Maybe, but i haven’t yet seen any decisive action by Rep. Schiff which would give me cause to hope.
1
Yay for the subpoena binge today! The House Committee on the Judiciary is on a roll. Here's looking at some congressional hearings in the near future!
17
House Democrats are swimming against the tide. I’m afraid we will be having 4 more years of dictatorship.
10
Given that nobody in the subpoenaed crowd filled rules too much, I'd be surprised if anybody showed up.
3
Couldn't happen to a nicer group!
114
In related news, Mr. Nadler is drafting a sternly-worded letter for those who fail to appear.
148
I applaud Mr. Nadler for his perseverance, but what good will a letter do? None of them will show up. To another reader’s point, I want to know how people can get away with this without any consequences. If I didn’t show up if I was subpoenaed I’d probably be thrown in jail.
24
@Jeff Baskin
Well, maybe more of a cautious statement of disapproval. That will really show who's boss.
7
@Tam I think you missed the sarcasm.
10