By
John Wojcik
Just a day after President Donald
Trump, speaking to a world audience, declared that there would be no
legislation signed by him if Congress didn’t stop investigating him, the
Congress of the United States opened broad new investigations into his affairs.
The investigations, which go beyond
just “Russiagate” to include financial law-breaking, money laundering, and
influence peddling and buying, began almost immediately after House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi castigated the president for threatening Congress on the floor of
the House during his Tuesday night State of the Union speech.
Specifically, the House Intelligence
Committee began yesterday an investigation into the extent to which Russia and
other countries influenced or are influencing the actions of President Trump.
Congressional committees are also
looking at other areas the president has declared as unacceptable fields of
inquiry, including his tax returns.
Late Wednesday, Democratic Rep.
Jerrold Nadler of New York sought a preliminary and preemptive court order to
guarantee that the acting attorney general, Matthew Whittaker, would not try to
wiggle out of his scheduled testimony before Congress.
Also demonstrating how dead serious
the new Congress is was the kick-off yesterday by the House Appropriations
Committee of an investigation into the extent to which the Trump administration
may have violated the law during the recent government shutdown.
When asked what he thought about
Trump’s claim during his State of the Union speech that the probes endanger the
economy and the chance of getting legislation passed, Democratic Rep. Elijah
Cummings declared, “We are doing what the constitution demands of us,” which is
oversight of the executive branch of government. Pelosi described Trump’s
remarks as an “all-out threat” made on the floor of the House.
The Intelligence Committee outlined an
investigation plan that possibly goes much further than even Trump’s worst
nightmare.
The committee is adding additional
connected areas of inquiry to the Russia probe, including whether anyone was
holding or is holding leverage over Trump that could have or could be
influencing U.S. policy.
Trump called Democratic California
Rep. Adam Schiff, the Intelligence Committee chairman, a “political hack” who
was promoting his own career by conducting “presidential harassment.”
“I can understand why the idea of
meaningful oversight terrifies the president. Look, several associates of his
have gone to jail. Others are awaiting trial,” Schiff reminded attendees at a
press conference yesterday.
On top of the investigations mentioned
so far, the Financial Services Committee has begun looking at money laundering
at Trump Tower and throughout the Trump Organization.
That investigation is significant
because it could well uncover proof that U.S. policy is being formed by the
administration as a result of Trump’s financial wheeling-and-dealing or to meet
his financial needs.
Another development at the meeting of
Schiff’s committee yesterday that has the administration in a panic is the
decision to turn over to Special Counsel Robert Mueller the interviews it
conducted last year. The Republican leadership of the committee sat on top of
hundreds of those 2018 interview transcripts. The decision yesterday to turn
them over to Mueller is significant because so far his probe had only two such
transcripts and in each of those cases he was able to charge Trump associates
with lying to Congress. The speculation now is that the release of the
additional transcripts to Mueller could implicate other Trump associates,
including the president’s son and son-in-law, in making false statements to
Congress.
“An economic miracle is taking place
in the United States and the only thing that can stop it is foolish wars,
politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations,” Trump said in his State of
the Union speech. “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot
be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way!” he claimed, sounding
more like the CEO of a corporation than the leader of a country.
After two years in office, it is clear
Trump is not comfortable with the degree of control the president has over the
country. It is far too little, as far as he is concerned, having been used to
the absolute power he wielded for so many years in Trump Tower. (IPA Service)
Courtesy:
People’s World
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