Jerry Nadler (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The Democrats’ interminable battle to look like they’re conducting impeachment hearings without actually conducting impeachment hearings continues. Today, the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed 12 Trump associates.
I expect they’ll be ignored, but let’s play our game. Here’s the list:
- Jared Kushner
- John Kelly
- David Pecker
- Jeff Sessions
- Rod Rosenstein
- Michael Flynn
- Rob Porter
- Dylan Howard
- Keith Davidson
- Rick Dearborn
- Corey Lewandowski
- Joseph Hunt
This is a good list. The scope of the subpoenas includes “everything from Russian interference to hush-money payments he made in the months leading up to the 2016 election.”
It’s also a list of people who will, most likely, do everything they can to resist complying with Congress. Since taking power, the Democrats have yet to show the will or ability to hold anybody accountable for ignoring their authority. I therefore imagine Trump officials and sycophants will continue to ignore Congress, until Congress does something to change their calculus. Somebody needs to be made an example of, so that the others know that merely doing the bidding of the corrupt and criminal president has consequences.
I doubt anybody will be made an example of. The people on this list will use every procedural delaying tactic available to them. Then wait for the Democrats to threaten to hold them in contempt. Then wait even longer for the Democrats who are actually ready to vote on contempt, then “strike a deal” to turn over an Excel spreadsheet detailing fake measurements of Trump’s hand size.
House panel OK’s 12 subpoenas for Trump associates, including Kushner, National Enquirer executives [USA Today]
Elie Mystal is the Executive Editor of Above the Law and a contributor at The Nation. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at elie@abovethelaw.com. He will resist.