Scrutiny in the pipeline
WASHINGTON: The barks of opposition from the Democratic minority may have irked President Donald Trump during his first two years in office, but that will be nothing next to the bite of a Democratic majority.
After the new Congress is sworn in, Trump’s legal team is certain to be kept busy as some of the president’s fiercest critics will take over powerful House committees that have the authority to issue subpoenas, conduct investigations and order hearings.
It’s easy to imagine the presidential tweetstorms that would follow a House investigation into Trump’s reported financial ties to Russia or a subpoena for the tax returns he has kept from the public eye.
There are also likely to be calls for impeachment from progressive Democrats. But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (DemocratCalifornia) has promised that House Democrats ‘‘will certainly honour our responsibility as oversight of the executive branch’’ but she said, ‘‘for those who want impeachment, that’s not what our caucus is about’’. She said that position could change if special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election meddling turned up ‘‘conclusive’’ evidence implicating Trump.
If Pelosi regains her former title of House speaker, she will play a leading role in shaping the narrative and scope of oversight efforts.
‘‘Make no mistake — whoever next becomes speaker, whether they are a Democrat or a Republican — needs to provide complete oversight of this reckless, criminal administration starting on day one,’’ Tom Steyer, the billionaire activist who has called for Trump’s impeachment, told USA Today.
Pelosi vowed Democrats would make sure the Mueller investigation’s documentation was preserved for further examination of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Pelosi blasted Republicans for providing ‘‘absolutely no oversight’’ of government agencies. She has already convened meetings with members in line to chair committees to talk with them about their approach and coordination.
‘‘This should be responsible, honouring our Constitution and our responsibilities, seeking the truth and, in terms of the agen cies of government, having the proper oversight to make sure that we are exercising our balance of power.’’
Elijah Cummings, of Maryland, was often critical of Trump over the course of the 2016 election — the congressman at one point called Trump ‘‘dangerous’’.
If Cummings chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, he would have jurisdiction over a broad array of topics. The rising costs of drug prices, along with other everyday issues confronting Americans, would be one part of his mission. Another would focus on waste, fraud and abuse in the Trump administration, a Democratic aide said.
That could include oversight on topics such Trump’s potential financial conflicts of interest and protecting against violations of the Constitution’s ‘‘emoluments clause’’, which prohibits officeholders from accepting payments from foreign governments without consent from Congress.
Other topics could include security clearances, attacks on government watchdogs and employees, ethics scandals involving senior administration officials and immigration and child separation policies at the southern border. — TCA