Step One to Impeachment? Congressman's Probe Targets Trump's Conflicts of Interest
"Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) filed a 'resolution of inquiry' that amounts to the first legislative step toward impeachment"
New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler has made use of an obscure legislative tool that would force a floor debate on President Donald Trump's potentially unconstitutional conflicts of interest--a move widely seen as an initial step toward impeaching Trump.
Nadler, a Democrat, on Thursday "filed a 'resolution of inquiry' that amounts to the first legislative step toward impeachment," wrote co-founder of RootsAction.org Norman Solomon in an op-ed for Common Dreams.
A resolution of inquiry is "a relatively obscure parliamentary tactic used to force presidents and executive-branch agencies to share records with Congress. Under House practice, such a resolution must be debated and acted upon in committee or else it can be discharged to the House floor for consideration," explains the Washington Post.
The resolution (pdf) filed by Nadler specifically calls on the Department of Justice to provide "copies of any document, record, memo, correspondence, or other communication of the Department of Justice" related to any "criminal or counterintelligence" investigation into Trump, his White House, and his campaign.
The Post reports that it also asks for documents pertaining to "any investment made by a foreign power or agent thereof in Trump's businesses; Trump's plans to distance himself from his business empire; and any Trump-related examination of federal conflict of interest laws or the emoluments clause of the Constitution."
Nadler explained to the Post that the resolution will force Republicans "to vote, in effect, on whether or not to abdicate their responsibility to have oversight."
While there is already a grassroots movement to impeach Trump--and support for impeachment is soaring, as a petition to impeach that has already garnered 800,0000 signatures shows--Democratic members of Congress have appeared reluctant to address impeachment. Bold moves such as Nadler's resolution of inquiry may force them to take action.
In fact, supporters of Nadler's resolution are urged to call their representatives to demand they vote in favor it.
"Nadler has just put a big toe in the impeachment water," as Solomon writes. "Yet no members of the House have taken the plunge to introduce an actual resolution for impeachment. They will have to be pushed."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler has made use of an obscure legislative tool that would force a floor debate on President Donald Trump's potentially unconstitutional conflicts of interest--a move widely seen as an initial step toward impeaching Trump.
Nadler, a Democrat, on Thursday "filed a 'resolution of inquiry' that amounts to the first legislative step toward impeachment," wrote co-founder of RootsAction.org Norman Solomon in an op-ed for Common Dreams.
A resolution of inquiry is "a relatively obscure parliamentary tactic used to force presidents and executive-branch agencies to share records with Congress. Under House practice, such a resolution must be debated and acted upon in committee or else it can be discharged to the House floor for consideration," explains the Washington Post.
The resolution (pdf) filed by Nadler specifically calls on the Department of Justice to provide "copies of any document, record, memo, correspondence, or other communication of the Department of Justice" related to any "criminal or counterintelligence" investigation into Trump, his White House, and his campaign.
The Post reports that it also asks for documents pertaining to "any investment made by a foreign power or agent thereof in Trump's businesses; Trump's plans to distance himself from his business empire; and any Trump-related examination of federal conflict of interest laws or the emoluments clause of the Constitution."
Nadler explained to the Post that the resolution will force Republicans "to vote, in effect, on whether or not to abdicate their responsibility to have oversight."
While there is already a grassroots movement to impeach Trump--and support for impeachment is soaring, as a petition to impeach that has already garnered 800,0000 signatures shows--Democratic members of Congress have appeared reluctant to address impeachment. Bold moves such as Nadler's resolution of inquiry may force them to take action.
In fact, supporters of Nadler's resolution are urged to call their representatives to demand they vote in favor it.
"Nadler has just put a big toe in the impeachment water," as Solomon writes. "Yet no members of the House have taken the plunge to introduce an actual resolution for impeachment. They will have to be pushed."
New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler has made use of an obscure legislative tool that would force a floor debate on President Donald Trump's potentially unconstitutional conflicts of interest--a move widely seen as an initial step toward impeaching Trump.
Nadler, a Democrat, on Thursday "filed a 'resolution of inquiry' that amounts to the first legislative step toward impeachment," wrote co-founder of RootsAction.org Norman Solomon in an op-ed for Common Dreams.
A resolution of inquiry is "a relatively obscure parliamentary tactic used to force presidents and executive-branch agencies to share records with Congress. Under House practice, such a resolution must be debated and acted upon in committee or else it can be discharged to the House floor for consideration," explains the Washington Post.
The resolution (pdf) filed by Nadler specifically calls on the Department of Justice to provide "copies of any document, record, memo, correspondence, or other communication of the Department of Justice" related to any "criminal or counterintelligence" investigation into Trump, his White House, and his campaign.
The Post reports that it also asks for documents pertaining to "any investment made by a foreign power or agent thereof in Trump's businesses; Trump's plans to distance himself from his business empire; and any Trump-related examination of federal conflict of interest laws or the emoluments clause of the Constitution."
Nadler explained to the Post that the resolution will force Republicans "to vote, in effect, on whether or not to abdicate their responsibility to have oversight."
While there is already a grassroots movement to impeach Trump--and support for impeachment is soaring, as a petition to impeach that has already garnered 800,0000 signatures shows--Democratic members of Congress have appeared reluctant to address impeachment. Bold moves such as Nadler's resolution of inquiry may force them to take action.
In fact, supporters of Nadler's resolution are urged to call their representatives to demand they vote in favor it.
"Nadler has just put a big toe in the impeachment water," as Solomon writes. "Yet no members of the House have taken the plunge to introduce an actual resolution for impeachment. They will have to be pushed."