House Committee Approves Resolution To Hold Commerce Secretary & Attorney General In Contempt

By a vote of 24-15, the House Oversight Committee approved a resolution recommending Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Attorney General William Barr be held in contempt for refusing to comply with subpoenas in regard to the committee's investigation into a question about citizenship on the 2020 census.

Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) joined Democrats in voting in favor of the resolution.

The committee is seeking internal documents between the Justice Department and the Trump administration regarding how the citizenship question came to be and why.

Democrats assert the question was added in order to intimidate immigrants into not filing the census form. 

The census is used to determine how many federal lawmakers are allocated to each state. Should immigrants pass on filling out the form it would most probably benefit Republicans.

House Democrats Introduce Resolution To Hold Attorney General In Contempt

CNN is reporting that Democrats in the House of Representatives have introduced a resolution meant to empower committees to go to court to enforce their subpoenas in an effort to give committee chairmen an effective way to hold officials in contempt while bypassing the House floor.

The plan comes after Donald Trump's Attorney General, William Barr, and former White House counsel Don McGahn have stonewalled efforts by Democrats to get subpoenaed documents from the Trump administration.

The Democrats' resolution next week to hold Attorney General William Barr and former White House counsel Don McGahn in contempt and take those cases to court will also include language stating that committees can move to hold officials in contempt of Congress, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said this week.

The resolution will also include language directing the House to petition the courts to obtain grand jury information contained in the Mueller report.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler pushed for the move in recent weeks as House leadership decided to wait to hold a floor vote on contempt for Barr until they could package officials together. Now committees themselves would be empowered to use civil contempt citations to go to court to enforce their subpoena.

“House Democrats have formally introduced a resolution to hold Attorney General Bill Barr and former White House counsel Don McGahn in contempt of Congress.”

Keep the pressure on! https://t.co/REp5Hm7eoo

— Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) June 6, 2019

White House Ordered Former Aides To Defy Congressional Subpoenas

Donald Trump

Politico is reporting that the Trump White House instructed two former aides to defy subpoenas issued by a Congressional committee seeking documents related to possible obstruction of justice by Donald Trump.

White House counsel Pat Cipollone reportedly told the Judiciary Committee that the two former West Wingers were directed not to comply with the subpoenas because they “do not have the legal right to disclose the White House records to third parties.”

The tactic didn't work, it seems.

From Politico:

But one of those aides, Hope Hicks, a longtime Trump confidant who served as White House communications director, has turned over some documents to the House Judiciary Committee regarding her service on Trump’s presidential campaign, according to Jerry Nadler, the panel's chairman.

He hailed the document production as a show of “good faith” and indicated that the committee will continue to negotiate with Hicks — as well as former White House deputy counsel Annie Donaldson — for the next few weeks as they attempt to arrange public testimony pursuant to the committee’s subpoenas.

An Example Of How Subpoenas Don't Work

(via NY Times)

Umm, you don't 'decide' whether to comply with a congressional subpoena.

You comply.

Second Judge Rebuffs Trump, Refuses To Block Congressional Subpoenas

Donald Trump

Donald Trump received another setback in court today as a second federal judge has refused to block Congressional subpoenas for Trump's financial records.

From CNN:

A second federal judge has now rebuffed President Donald Trump's sweeping attempt to block House lawmakers from accessing his financial records, handing him another defeat in a fight that has infuriated the President and opened deep rifts with Democrats.

Judge Edgardo Ramos in New York on Wednesday refused to block subpoenas from the House of Representatives for Trump's financial records from Deutsche Bank and Capital One. It's the second such ruling against the President in three days.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump lashed out at Democrats for what he claimed were attempts to harass and undermine his presidency, declaring during an irate appearance in the Rose Garden he could no longer work with them as they proceed in their investigations.

The White House has stonewalled Democratic oversight requests, has refused to comply with subpoenas issued for information and is blocking former officials from testifying.

In a statement to CNBC after the ruling, a Deutsche Bank spokesman said, “We remain committed to providing appropriate information to all authorized investigations and will abide by a court order regarding such investigations.”

This decision comes two days after a federal judge in Washington, D.C. ruled Trump’s accountants at the firm Mazars had to comply with a congressional subpoena for his financial records.

Trump has indicated he will appeal the Washington D.C. setback. For those who enjoy irony, it's notable that the Chief Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is...Merrick Garland.

You'll recall Garland was President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, but was never granted a vote on his nomination. Senate Republicans kept the SCOTUS seat open for a year blocking Garland's appointment.

BREAKING: For the second time this week, a federal judge just ruled in favor of the House and against President Trump, who sued to stop Deutsche Bank from complying with our subpoena.

Two different judges, same conclusion: Trump’s stonewalling is without merit. https://t.co/glr9KgbfS9

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 22, 2019

"And that's not even the best part. The judge hearing Trump's appeal is... wait for it... Merrick Garland!!!" pic.twitter.com/G6VpKX0NU0

— KremlinonthePotomac (@jurassicpork59) May 21, 2019

Committee Chair To Don McGahn: "Our Subpoenas Are Not Optional"

Former White House lawyer Don McGahn chose to defy a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning.

While the House reps showed up, Chairman Jerrold Nadler was irritated upon seeing an empty chair instead of McGahn.

In a statement, Nadler told the chamber, “Our subpoenas are not optional,” and declared that “this committee will hear McGahn’s testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it.”

.@RepJerryNadler: "When this committee issues a subpoena -- even to a senior presidential adviser -- the witness must show up. Our subpoenas are not optional."

Nadler goes on to describe McGahn's failure to appear "as part of [Trump's] broader efforts to cover up his misconduct" pic.twitter.com/PGRwVasbTc

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 21, 2019

NADLER: "Let me be clear: This committee will hear McGahn's testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it... we will not allow POTUS to block congressional subpoenas, putting himself & his allies above the law... we will hold POTUS accountable one way or the other." pic.twitter.com/BreoMf5H1D

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 21, 2019

What is Don McGahn hiding? What is @realDonaldTrump hiding from the American people?

We will hold McGahn in contempt. We will litigate this in the courts. And we will win. pic.twitter.com/EZGR8OeO0q

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 21, 2019

Mnuchin deserves to be in jail. McGahn deserves to be in jail. If you or I ignored a Congressional subpoena, we would be in jail. Are we a nation of laws? Or are we a nation of outlaws?

— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) May 21, 2019

Trump Foundation Investigators Issue Subpoena To Michael Cohen

Donald Trump

Here's where it starts to get really interesting, kids.

The AP is reporting that former attorney and 'fixer' for Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, has received a subpoena from investigators looking into possible state violations regarding the Trump Foundation.

Investigators in New York state have issued a subpoena to Michael Cohen as part of their criminal probe into the Trump Foundation.

A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s tax department confirmed the subpoena to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The subpoena was issued after Cohen’s attorney said the longtime lawyer for President Donald Trump has information that would be of interest to prosecutors at both the state and federal level.

As a close Trump confidant, Cohen could potentially be a significant source of information for state investigators looking into whether Trump or his charity broke state law or lied about their tax liability.

As the AP notes, a president can't pardon anyone found guilty of state charges.

The entire Trump family could possibly face legal jeopardy.