11.27

Dragging their feet toward the inevitable

There’s a major question facing Democrats in the impeachment process and I wonder what they’re thinking, because we’re not hearing much about it on the surface. The question is, how much should Congress be willing to wade into court fights to enforce subpoenas?

If the President and all his closest aides simply refuse to participate in the impeachment process, refuse to testify before Congress, refuse to turn over any documents - what does Congress do? Do they spend weeks or months waiting for Supreme Court decisions, and hope the American people stay interested? Do they just bypass the stonewallers and call it obstruction of justice?

These questions are ongoing, but arose in the news this week after this story: “A federal judge strengthened the power of Congress in its battles with President Trump on Monday, ruling that former White House Counsel Donald McGahn may be required to testify under oath...”

Yet already we’re seeing that other aides will be finding new ways to drag their feet. So what should House Democrats do about this behavior? Ignore it or get into protracted fights to stop it?

I think the answer is, it has to be both. The case that Congress won this week was first started around the Mueller investigation months ago - while that’s been in court, Democrats have built a strong public case for impeachment over a completely separate issue. Now this long-delayed ruling looks like it might force Trump’s aides to testify about Ukraine in the impeachment inquiry.

Keep going, House Democrats. What you’re doing is not easy but it’s important.

Lafayette

November 27th, 2019