House Threatens to Subpoena White House for Ukraine Records

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — The House threatened on Wednesday to subpoena the White House if it did not comply by Friday with requests for a broad range of documents related to an alleged scheme to pressure Ukraine into investigating a leading political rival of President Trump.

Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, the chairman of the Oversight and Reform Committee, notified his committee of the impending subpoena on Wednesday. He said the White House had thus far ignored Congress’s voluntary requests.

“I do not take this step lightly,” Mr. Cummings wrote. “Over the past several weeks, the committees tried several times to obtain voluntary compliance with our requests for documents, but the White House has refused to engage with — or even respond to — the committees.”

The impeachment inquiry has escalated quickly: The House has already issued two subpoenas for records. Mr. Cummings warning suggested lawmakers and their staff were working methodically to collect the evidence they believe they need to evaluate an anonymous C.I.A. whistle-blower complaint that touched off their inquiry. First, they targeted the State Department, then Mr. Giuliani and now the White House.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/us/politics/impeachment-white-house-subpoena.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

---

Document: https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper/1866-memo-subpoena-white-house/149834cd4d64bf3010f4/optimized/full.pdf#page=1

[Javaman]

1. just do it. nt

[Bev54]

2. Not just a threat

For whatever reason, not sure, they have to advise recipients of the intention of issuing subpoenas, I suppose to give them time to comply. They have issued their intention to the WH and have to wait the period out until they actually issue it, which will be next week.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Correct... although they said they intend to issue it on October 4th (Friday)

if they hear nothing back.

Pursuant to the House of Representatives' impeachment inquiry, this memorandum provides Committee Members with notice of my intent to issue a subpoena to the White House.

This subpoena will be issued by the Committee on Oversight and Reform on Friday, October 4, 2019, under the Rules of the House of Representatives in exercise of its oversight and legislative jurisdiction and after consultation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

[Marthe48]

4. W.H. staff justs ignores requests and subpoenas

I wish that the investigators would stop playing nice, unless each of the ignored requests becomes another point in the obstruction case. If they don't comply, I think they need to be arrested and fined. The House needs to block salaries to any of the criminals who are defying the law of the land. Flex the muscle!

[BumRushDaShow]

5. If/when they go to court to enforce it

they MUST show that they gave notice and offered plenty of opportunity. Otherwise the judge would send them packing and would tell them to go back and follow their House rules for this process.

[Marthe48]

6. I understand

but if pompeo, et al. ignores subsequent subpoenas on the same matter, how many more times does the House have to subpoena them?

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Remember that they just declared their investigation officially as being an "impeachment inquiry"

(different from other investigations) and it's only been a week since that declaration, so they are operating under a different authority which would carry more weight in court.

During Watergate, remember the refusal to turn over the tapes? What's going on now is nothing new.

President Refuses to Turn Over Tapes; Ervin Committee, Cox Issue Subpoenas
Action Sets Stage for Court Battle on Powers Issue

By Carroll Kilpatrick
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 24, 1973; Page A01

President Nixon set the stage yesterday for a major constitutional confrontation by refusing to turn over presidential tape recordings to either Senate Watergate committee or to Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Cox immediately served a subpoena for the tapes on presidential counsel J. Fred Buzhart, who must respond in federal court by Thursday. The Senate Committee followed suit, serving two subpoenas on another presidential lawyer, Leonard Garment.

The committee chairman, Sen. Sam Ervin (D-N.C.), reacted to the President's decision with an emotional statement, saying: "I deeply regret that this situation has arisen, because I think that the Watergate tragedy is the greatest tragedy this country has ever suffered. I used to think that the Civil War was our country's greatest tragedy, but I do remember that there were some redeeming features in the Civil War in that there was some spirit of sacrifice and heroism displayed on both sides. I see no redeeming features in Watergate."

The committee's vice chairman, Sen. Howard H. Baker (R-Tenn.), expressed disappointment at being "on the brink of a constitutional confrontation between the Congress and the White House." He added that the material sought by the subpoenas is "essential, if not vital, to the full, thorough inquiry mandated and required of this committee."

It seemed certain last night that the confrontation between the President and the investigators ultimately would have to be decided in the Supreme Court. How the court might rule on the central issues -- executive privilege and the separation of governmental powers -- is unknown.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/072473-1.htm

[Coventina]

7. I'm sick and tired of "threats" and "warnings"

DO IT!

[sakabatou]

9. Do it already!

[Magoo48]

10. We can subpoena every republican bozo in DC.

They are willing to disregard each subpoena. We can subpoena all the records we care to. So what?They will not comply. Unless there is a means to force compliance, so what? We can throw down gauntlet after gauntlet and, without a way to force cooperation, we end up with a pathetic pile of gauntlets. SO, who is going to enforce compliance and cooperation; that is my question?