"Nadler on Monday issued the first round of document requests as part of a sweeping investigation into President Trump's campaign, business and administration. The investigation will focus on three key areas, Nadler said: obstruction of justice, public corruption and abuses of power.
Trump, who over the weekend railed against Democratic oversight efforts, said Monday that he cooperates "all the time with everybody," when asked if he would comply with Nadler's requests. He went on to decry the investigation as a "hoax."
Nadler defended his committee's actions, arguing it's part of the panel's constitutional duty to conduct oversight.
"We’re simply exercising our oversight jurisdiction, and he doesn’t understand it, or he’s not willing to concede to Congress that we have an oversight jurisdiction," Nadler said.
He reiterated that he believes Congress is still "far from" impeachment proceedings. Nadler would oversee such proceedings as chairman of the Judiciary Committee." The Hill
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"Congressional oversight is oversight by the United States Congress over the Executive Branch, including the numerous U.S. federal agencies. Congressional oversight includes the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation." wiki on Congressional Oversight
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"Executive privilege is the power of the President of the United States and other members of the executive branch of the United States Government to resist certain subpoenas and other interventions by the legislative and judicial branches of government in pursuit of information or personnel relating to the executive. The power of Congress or the federal courts to obtain such information is not mentioned explicitly in the United States Constitution, nor is there any explicit mention in the Constitution of an executive privilege to resist such requests from Congress or courts." wiki on Executive Privilege
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Eric Trump is not a government employee or official. Neither is his brother, Donald Junior. Eric Trump said on Fox today that Gerald Nadler, the Captain Ahab of the Judicial Committee of the House, sent him a letter asking for all transcripts of his telephone conversations with Vladimir Putin. He states that he has never spoken to Vladimir Putin.
I ask YOU, pilgrims, by what legal right does Nadler demand private records from someone who is not a government official or consultant? Eric's sister Ivanka and her husband Jered Kushner ARE a dollar a year type consultants for President Trump. The record of their government actions are, I think, fair game for Nadler's inquisitional proceedings. Ah, that is probably not a reference he would like. "You never know when to expect the Spanish Inquisition!" But, I question whether or not Nadler will be too interested in the record of Ivanka and Jared's interventions in the ME in Saudi Arabia or Israel.
This "oversight" proceeding reminds of the old, old, Tee Vee show called "This is your life" in which some hapless victim was seated supposedly unexpectedly on stage while various figures from his youth and maturity came out from behind the curtain to tell all about him. A lot of it was acutely embarrassing to an adult. I, for one, do not want the world to be told of my youthful boorishnesses however stupid they may have been. Trump's high school and college conduct is now called into question. He evidently sought to protect the privacy of school records by suppressing them. He didn't want his high school grades to pass into the hands of his enemies? What a surprise! He probably was a poor student. I was an excellent student but I don't want my transcripts to be made public.
What the Democrats led by Nadler are doing reminds of "Moby Dick."
For Captain Ahab cried, "Aye, aye! and I’ll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition’s flames before I give him up. And this is what ye have shipped for, men! to chase that white whale on both sides of land, and over all sides of earth, till he spouts black blood and rolls fin out. What say ye, men, will ye splice hands on it, now? I think ye do look brave." pl
