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Then White House aide Rob Porter watches as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Friday, February 02, 2018. (Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Nadler Accuses Trump of 'Shocking and Dangerous' Abuse of Power as White House Orders Former Aides to Defy Subpoenas
"The president would have us believe that he can willfully engage in criminal activity and prevent witnesses from testifying before Congress."
Sep 17, 2019
Rep. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, accused President Donald Trump of a "shocking and dangerous" abuse of executive power Monday night after the White House instructed former aides Rob Porter and Rick Dearborn to defy the panel's subpoenas to testify as part of its investigation into Trump's alleged crimes.
In a letter (pdf) to Nadler on Monday, White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Porter and Dearborn are "absolutely immune" from testifying and that Trump has ordered them not to do so.
"If he were to prevail in this cover-up while the Judiciary Committee is considering whether to recommend articles of impeachment, he would upend the separation of powers as envisioned by our founders."
--Rep. Jerry Nadler
Nadler slammed the Trump White House's "assertion of executive privilege and absolute immunity" in a statement responding to the letter.
"The president would have us believe that he can willfully engage in criminal activity and prevent witnesses from testifying before Congress," Nadler said. "If he were to prevail in this cover-up while the Judiciary Committee is considering whether to recommend articles of impeachment, he would upend the separation of powers as envisioned by our founders."
The New York Democrat also highlighted the White House's efforts to limit former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski's testimony, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The Guardian reported that the president instructed Lewandowski, who never worked for the White House, to not reveal private conversations with Trump beyond what is in the former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.
"No one is above the law," said Nadler. "The House Judiciary Committee will continue our investigation of the president's crimes, corruption and cover-up and get to the truth for the American people."
Nadler's statement came hours before the first hearing of what some House Democrats are describing as an impeachment inquiry. The committee voted last week to outline the terms of "how the party's ongoing investigations into alleged presidential misconduct could lead to drafting--and eventual votes on--impeachment articles," The Hill reported.
Progressives remain concerned that the Judiciary Committee is still not doing enough to hold Trump accountable.
In response to the committee's vote last week, a coalition of progressive groups including Credo Action and Democracy for America said the panel is "refusing to set a date to move articles of impeachment out of committee or to officially expand the scope of its inquiry beyond the Mueller report, despite overwhelming evidence that the president has committed multiple impeachable offenses."
"The stakes are too high and the hour is too late for Congress to extend this process any longer than that timeframe," the groups said. "Our Constitution, our democracy, our communities, and our planet's future are on the line. The House majority must act with the urgency required in the face of this moral and constitutional crisis."
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters 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. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Rep. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, accused President Donald Trump of a "shocking and dangerous" abuse of executive power Monday night after the White House instructed former aides Rob Porter and Rick Dearborn to defy the panel's subpoenas to testify as part of its investigation into Trump's alleged crimes.
In a letter (pdf) to Nadler on Monday, White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Porter and Dearborn are "absolutely immune" from testifying and that Trump has ordered them not to do so.
"If he were to prevail in this cover-up while the Judiciary Committee is considering whether to recommend articles of impeachment, he would upend the separation of powers as envisioned by our founders."
--Rep. Jerry Nadler
Nadler slammed the Trump White House's "assertion of executive privilege and absolute immunity" in a statement responding to the letter.
"The president would have us believe that he can willfully engage in criminal activity and prevent witnesses from testifying before Congress," Nadler said. "If he were to prevail in this cover-up while the Judiciary Committee is considering whether to recommend articles of impeachment, he would upend the separation of powers as envisioned by our founders."
The New York Democrat also highlighted the White House's efforts to limit former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski's testimony, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The Guardian reported that the president instructed Lewandowski, who never worked for the White House, to not reveal private conversations with Trump beyond what is in the former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.
"No one is above the law," said Nadler. "The House Judiciary Committee will continue our investigation of the president's crimes, corruption and cover-up and get to the truth for the American people."
Nadler's statement came hours before the first hearing of what some House Democrats are describing as an impeachment inquiry. The committee voted last week to outline the terms of "how the party's ongoing investigations into alleged presidential misconduct could lead to drafting--and eventual votes on--impeachment articles," The Hill reported.
Progressives remain concerned that the Judiciary Committee is still not doing enough to hold Trump accountable.
In response to the committee's vote last week, a coalition of progressive groups including Credo Action and Democracy for America said the panel is "refusing to set a date to move articles of impeachment out of committee or to officially expand the scope of its inquiry beyond the Mueller report, despite overwhelming evidence that the president has committed multiple impeachable offenses."
"The stakes are too high and the hour is too late for Congress to extend this process any longer than that timeframe," the groups said. "Our Constitution, our democracy, our communities, and our planet's future are on the line. The House majority must act with the urgency required in the face of this moral and constitutional crisis."
Rep. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, accused President Donald Trump of a "shocking and dangerous" abuse of executive power Monday night after the White House instructed former aides Rob Porter and Rick Dearborn to defy the panel's subpoenas to testify as part of its investigation into Trump's alleged crimes.
In a letter (pdf) to Nadler on Monday, White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Porter and Dearborn are "absolutely immune" from testifying and that Trump has ordered them not to do so.
"If he were to prevail in this cover-up while the Judiciary Committee is considering whether to recommend articles of impeachment, he would upend the separation of powers as envisioned by our founders."
--Rep. Jerry Nadler
Nadler slammed the Trump White House's "assertion of executive privilege and absolute immunity" in a statement responding to the letter.
"The president would have us believe that he can willfully engage in criminal activity and prevent witnesses from testifying before Congress," Nadler said. "If he were to prevail in this cover-up while the Judiciary Committee is considering whether to recommend articles of impeachment, he would upend the separation of powers as envisioned by our founders."
The New York Democrat also highlighted the White House's efforts to limit former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski's testimony, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The Guardian reported that the president instructed Lewandowski, who never worked for the White House, to not reveal private conversations with Trump beyond what is in the former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.
"No one is above the law," said Nadler. "The House Judiciary Committee will continue our investigation of the president's crimes, corruption and cover-up and get to the truth for the American people."
Nadler's statement came hours before the first hearing of what some House Democrats are describing as an impeachment inquiry. The committee voted last week to outline the terms of "how the party's ongoing investigations into alleged presidential misconduct could lead to drafting--and eventual votes on--impeachment articles," The Hill reported.
Progressives remain concerned that the Judiciary Committee is still not doing enough to hold Trump accountable.
In response to the committee's vote last week, a coalition of progressive groups including Credo Action and Democracy for America said the panel is "refusing to set a date to move articles of impeachment out of committee or to officially expand the scope of its inquiry beyond the Mueller report, despite overwhelming evidence that the president has committed multiple impeachable offenses."
"The stakes are too high and the hour is too late for Congress to extend this process any longer than that timeframe," the groups said. "Our Constitution, our democracy, our communities, and our planet's future are on the line. The House majority must act with the urgency required in the face of this moral and constitutional crisis."
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