Rachel Maddow Destroys Trump's Plan To Block Congress From Getting His Financial Records

[babylonsister]

Posted on Mon, Apr 22nd, 2019 by Sean Colarossi
Rachel Maddow Destroys Trump’s Plan To Block Congress From Getting His Financial Records


Donald Trump sued Congress on Monday to block a congressional subpoena for his financial records – yet another move by this president that totally screams innocence.

Rachel Maddow was quick to demolish Trump’s move, explaining why it is almost certain to be a failure and appears only to be an effort by the White House to stall.

“What Congress investigates is up for Congress to decide, and how Congress subpoenas information is Congress’ decision,” the MSNBC host said. “This lawsuit appears on track to fail and without much suspense.”

Maddow added, “This lawsuit may be an effort by the president to slow things down, but it’s certainly not going to stop what Congress is doing.”

Link to tweet

Maddow said:

What Congress investigates is up for Congress to decide, and how Congress subpoenas information is Congress’ decision. And that clear precedent, that clear and unequivocal precedent means that our president now, today, did something desperate, that is destined to fail and fail quickly, when the president today decided that he was going to bring a personal lawsuit against Congress. President Trump in his personal capacity today sued Congress, sued the oversight committee in the House for them having the temerity to issue a subpoena for his financial records from an accounting firm that spent a lot of years doing various financial work for him including preparing his taxes. Even if it were a super far-fetched investigation that they were pursuing, what the case law in this area tells us is that the courts would still stay out of it. But in this case, it’s not that far-fetched. I mean, the president’s longtime personal lawyer just testified to Congress under oath that President Trump committed multiple financial felonies, and he pointed them to the documents that would show evidence of that. Kind of seems like there might be a really good reason for Congress to see those records. … But as much as I’m sure the president’s lawyers are enjoying the billable hours here, this lawsuit appears on track to fail and without much suspense. This is an area of the law where there just isn’t that much gray. I’m not a lawyer. Don’t hire me for anything. Once the president did this today, we spoke with a number of people today who are lawyers, including experts in the field, and they told us this is not an area of law where there is wiggle room. This lawsuit may be an effort by the president to slow things down but it’s certainly not going to stop what Congress is doing.

more...

https://www.politicususa.com/2019/04/22/rachel-maddow-destroys-trumps-plan-to-block-congress-from-getting-his-financial-records.html

[malaise]

1. Watched this live

Get thee to the greatest page

[Turbineguy]

2. Every day Trump stays in power

is a small victory.

[lark]

3. What do you bet that SCOTUS schedules this for hearnings after the election?

They are a paid arm of his administration just like the AG, or at least he thinks that's what they are. Unless Roberts has a twinge of conscience, which isn't very likely, they will rule for him - as a one time measure not applicable to anything involving Democrats, certainly!

[onenote]

5. I'll take that bet

Last edited Tue Apr 23, 2019, 11:36 AM - Edit history (1)

The Nixon subpoena case took a little more than three months from issuance of the subpoena to Supreme Court decision. The election is 16 months away.

The court case challenging the Oversight Committee subpoena will be heard by the US District Court in DC -- while I don't know which judge will get the case, of the 14 current judges on the court, 9 (including the Chief Judge) are Obama appointees, 2 are Clinton appointees and 3 are Trump appointees. Once the district court decides the case, an effort will be made to have any further review heard by the Supreme Court directly, bypassing the Court of Appeals (which is what happened in the Nixon case and what currently is happening with the census/citizenship question case). Even if an appeal was heard by a panel of the DC Circuit, only 2 of the judges on that court are Trump appointees while seven are either Obama or Clinton appointees.

And Roberts has demonstrated a sensitivity towards the Supreme Court's legacy (and his own), which means the Supreme Court likely would follow the Nixon case precedent and fast track any review of the subpoena challenge.

[gristy]

28. thanks, onenote

That does look promising.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Yes, it's a delaying process

to try to dampen Democratic enthusiasm (why isn't impeachment happening fast enough???) and to wear them monetarily as well.

Plus, with McConnell packing the courts with radical right wingers, some of them may vote in favor of Donny Dollhands, in spite of the laws and the precedent.

[PRETZEL]

6. I actually think it may have the opposite effect

yes, it will definately slow down the process, however, with each and every passing day the talk will shift to the point of "what's he hiding?"

Granted, for those of us here, we already have a pretty good suspision of what it it, i.e. tax fraud, Russian loans, etc. but for the most part those conversations have been pretty limited to cable and to our like minded forums.

As this ultimately migrates out of the Sunday talk shows, cable shows, and into the more "mainstream" nightly news shows, the more the conversation may swing.

(edit for spelling)

[lagomorph777]

16. Our people need to say that, in those words, every day: "What is Trump hiding in these records?"

You nailed it.

[Duppers]

23. +100

[onenote]

18. The lower courts that will hear the subpoena case are not packed with radical right wingers

The Trump complaint against the Oversight Committee subpoena was brought in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Of the 14 judges on that court, only 3 are Trump appointees while 9 (including the Chief Judge) are Obama appointees and two more are Clinton appointees.

And the Court of Appeals (which might well be bypassed in this situation) has 11 judges, only two of which are Trump appointees.

[dlk]

7. Trump's Tax Returns Are Beginning to Look Like the Smoking Gun

There is a reason Trump is going all out to keep them hidden.

[NewJeffCT]

20. I think a big reason goes back to a Trump celebrity roast from years back

He was okay with jokes about anything - including his "weird" relationship with Ivanka. However, topics about his wealth, or lack thereof, were strictly forbidden.

I think if people find out Trump is fairly wealthy, but not close to a billionaire, it will destroy his image and his ego...the book Trump Nation from around that same time period said he was worth $150 to $250 million. A ton of money, but only 1/20 to 1/30 of what he has claimed over the years, which is typically $5 billion to $10 billion

Plus, considering he inherited over $400 million from his daddy, it tears down another piece of his image.

[panfluteman]

24. Yeah, the Mueller Report is Small Potatoes! It's Those Tax Returns, Baby!

[duforsure]

8. criminals always fear becoming exposed

especially ones like this illegitimate president is doing. they have to hide what they are doing, just like Putin is doing too while robbing the peoPle blind.

[ancianita]

9. His goal is slow it down long enough to survive until Nov, 2020.

[watoos]

11. Bingo,

Maddow is wrong when she said this will be decided quickly.

[ancianita]

22. Agreed. If she said that. I didn't catch it, if she did. She does acknowledge the worst case, tho'.

[watoos]

26. She said it yesterday I think

[uponit7771]

15. +1

[Fritz Walter]

10. Hypothetically, if this case did go to trial

There's such a thing as "discovery."

I'm not a lawyer either, but I've heard the term kicked around during litigation. According to the Legal Dictionary at Law.com, Discovery...

n. the entire efforts of a party to a lawsuit and his/her/its attorneys to obtain information before trial through demands for production of documents, depositions of parties and potential witnesses, written interrogatories (questions and answers written under oath), written requests for admissions of fact, examination of the scene and the petitions and motions employed to enforce discovery rights. The theory of broad rights of discovery is that all parties will go to trial with as much knowledge as possible and that neither party should be able to keep secrets from the other (except for constitutional protection against self-incrimination). Often much of the fight between the two sides in a suit takes place during the discovery period.

Someone with a JD: please set me straight if I'm reading too much into this...

[47of74]

12. I don't have a JD yet.

There's some exceptions for privileged information - such as for attorney client communications - but that's pretty much it.

[onenote]

19. There would be little need for discovery in this case.

As previously noted, the Nixon subpoena case in 1974 took only around 3 months from the date the subpoena was issued until the date the Supreme Court ruled against Nixon's challenge.

[onetexan]

25. Question is whether this SC is going challenge

[watoos]

13. Want to know what is going to happen?

It's too soon yet, but when we get closer to the election, watch for Barr to investigate the FBI and Democrats to prove they overreached and led a witch hunt against Trump. Watch for that narrative to headline cable news.

Wait for it folks, it's coming, Barr said as much.

Too bad, Democrats could have controlled the narrative had they chosen to hold impeachment hearings.

[certainot]

17. orange idiot should resign before Dem investigations so Pence can still pardon him

his base support is vastly overestimated thanks to 1500 unchallenged radio stations and Fox blowing in his sails, making excuses, deflecting blame, and reinforcing his bullshit. his support will continue to erode as the Democratic investigations ramp up and it becomes harder for team limbaugh and their Russian allies to save his ass.

a parade of witnesses validating the Mueller report and reinforcing the other investigations will be disastrous for Trump and the Republicans. and how long before Pence gets drawn so far into this that President Pelosi becomes a real possibility?

if he resigns now they can still play the victim and Pence can pardon him from some of his crimes. democrats are going to have to keep investigating election interference but if a Trump resignation turns the other investigations of his businesses and taxes over to the SDNY etc. his lawyers can concentrate on what a pardon doesn't cover and he can let RW media keep playing him as a 'deep state' victim and his other crimes will get a lot less attention.

the longer this gets toward elections the more likely the cons are going to come up with a war and or other national emergencies that will magnify the volume of the 1500 radio stations that the left so stupidly continues to ignore. what happened in sri lanka? they shut down social media. same kind of shit here with these mofos.

dems should be forcing resignation with a preliminary schedule of witness hearings to reduce the base and a hard deadline/plan to begin impeachment.

[maxsolomon]

21. Election Night 2016 I predicted Show Trials

the room full of Bernie voters laughed.

[Texin]

14. I think Shitler remembers it was tax evasion that got Capone convicted and sent to the slam.

Capone was convicted of tax evasion and fraud and that alone is what sent him to federal prison for the rest of his life, not the multiple murders and atrocities he inflicted on Chicago in the 20s. With any luck, this is what will sink Dotard and maybe he too will die of syphilis after it's rotted his brain.

[NYMinute]

27. I adore Rachel

She lays it out logically and with documentary evidence. She and her staff work hard on getting all the ducks in a row about every story.

[colsohlibgal]

29. But

Who is going to make Twitler do any of this if he stays obstinate which he will. He is already blowing off a House Subpoenas, refusing to give up his tax returns, etc. who going to force him to comply?

We are in a dangerous place we have not been in. Nixon gave in once he lost in court and lost enough support among republicans in Congress. Mitch McTurtle is not bending, We are in a pickle we have not been in previously. No guarantee this is going to end well.