Conf licts grow over oversight by House
Democrats demand acting attorney general appear at hearing
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and his adversaries in Congress plunged into a bitter fight over investigations of his administration Thursday, battling over subpoena threats as Democrats began beefing up committee staffs and laying the groundwork for a contentious fight over the president’s tax returns.
Trump lashed out Thursday morning in a pair of tweets complaining about “Unlimited Presidential Harassment” and criticizing House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., after he announced earlier this week that his panel will begin probing what Schiff called “credible reports of money laundering and financial compromise” by Trump entities.
In private, Trump and his aides grew increasingly anxious and angry over Democrats’ maneuvering, sparked by news that Schiff’s committee has hired at least one former White House national security official to help in its oversight of the administration, according to people familiar with the matter.
The acrimony between the administration and House Democrats was on display Thursday in the House Judiciary Committee, which voted along party lines to empower Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to subpoena acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker for his testimony if he doesn’t show up and answer questions at a planned hearing today.
Whitaker responded that he would not appear without assurances that he won’t be subpoenaed. In turn, Nadler said in a letter Thursday evening that his committee would not subpoena him as long as Whitaker appears and answers questions
The subpoena fight only infuriated congressional Republicans, who complained that Democrats were already overreaching.
“Frankly, it looks like ... they’re all rushing to see who they think they can draw the first hit against the administration,” said Rep. Douglas Collins, R-Ga.