The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Impeachment’s over, should Dems keep investigating?
WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump has been acquitted, but some Democrats want to keep investigating the events that lead to his impeachment.
Stymied in their quest for more evidence in the Senate trial, some Democrats want more answers about Trump’s overtures to Ukraine and his related actions domestically. Others, including the Speaker of the House, appear wary of that approach. In fact, the question of more investigations is one the seems to divide the Connecticut congressional delegation.
“I think there’s lots of stories that have not been told,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, a member of the House Intelligence Committee that lead the impeachment investigation. “Congress has a duty to continue to undertake oversight. That’s not optional. That’s what we do. We’re far from clear in telling the whole story.”
Himes noted that he wanted to hear more about the actions of the president’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and the State Department’s treatment of the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and other diplomats.
In contrast, Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5, indicated she didn’t see a clear role for more investigation.
“I don’t think that’s even something to consider right now,” Hayes said. “We did it. We presented the evidence. As things come out, I don’t know what happens next.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday “we have no plans” for specific Ukraine actions, including subpoenaing former National Security Adviser John Bolton, whose book manuscript, that was leaked in part during the impeachment trial, contained more information about Trump’s quest for political investigations from Ukraine.
A spokesperson for the House Intelligence Committee declined to say the committee possesses more documents from its Ukraine investigation that it has not released yet. In
“I don’t think that’s even something to consider right now.” U.S. Rep Jahana Hayes
January, the committee published a trove of new information that it obtained from Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, including text messages exchanged between Parnas and a Connecticut candidate for Congress.
When asked Wednesday if the House Intelligence Committee has Ukrainerelated documents it has not released yet, Himes said “I think so,” but qualified he is “a little behind on what has been released and what we have.”
A member of the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said Thursday, "All of the investigative committees are in the process of where to go from here... It's a dialogue.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Wednesday, more oversight of Trump is needed because he believes the administration has not changed its ways.
“The problem is the corruption is ongoing,” Murphy said. “Giuliani was in Ukraine digging up more dirt in the middle of the impeachment trial. We’re not going to try the president again but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be continuing our vigorous oversight.”
Murphy on Thursday called on the non-partisan Government Accountability Office to assess whether the Trump administration is improperly classifying documents to keep them secret. The now infamous transcript of Trump’s call with the president of Ukraine in July was moved to a classified server by the administration, before it was released publicly.
With their suspicions on high alert, Courtney suggested Democrats will put the administration under a microscope when military aid is distributed again this year.
“Certainly, as far as Ukraine is concerned, there is going to military assistance in the budget this year and I think you are going to see a push to put as many handcuffs on this administration about making sure that Rudy Giuliani’s agenda does not interfere with the assistance that an ally like Ukraine needs,” he said.
Republicans have repeatedly criticized Democrats for “endless investigations,” starting before the impeachment inquiry. Between the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the impeachment inquiry and numerous other examples of Congressional oversight into Trump’s campaign, businesses and governance, many Republicans feel the president has already been subjected to undue and unfair scrutiny.
Trump for his part has blasted such investigations at various times as a “witch hunt.”
“I believe the American people are tired of the endless investigations and false investigations that have been coming out of the House from the beginning,” said White House Counsel Pat Cipollone on Monday. “It is a waste of tax dollars, it is a waste of the American people’s time, and I would argue, more importantly—most importantly—the opportunity cost of that, the opportunity cost of that. What you could be doing, what the House could be doing working with the President to achieve those things on behalf of the American people is far more important than the endless investigations, the endless false attacks, the besmirching of the names of good people.”
Never mind new investigations, Democrats are also waiting for answers on inquiries they issued months ago.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule in March in a case involving Trump’s refusal to turn over his tax returns to congressional investigators. The U.S. Court of Appeals is also expected to issue a decision in a case involving the House Judiciary Committee's fight to subpoena testimony from former White House Counsel Don McGahn.
“There is clearly some subpoenas that have not been litigated, McGahn in particular, who I think should testify before Congress,” said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2.
Outside the courts, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is awaiting answers from the Department of Justice about Trump’s requests — or lack thereof — for investigations.
Blumenthal and other senators are waiting to hear from the Department of Justice Inspector General about whether Attorney General William Barr had received or acted upon pressure from the president or the White House to open investigations into any individuals.
Blumenthal, with Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, sent a letter demanding the inspector general investigate this question in November 2019. The letter was a follow-up after Harris made the same request of the inspect general back in May of 2019.
The senators have not yet received a response, Blumenthal’s office said.
“The president has not spoken with the attorney general about having Ukraine investigate anything relating to former Vice President Biden or his son,” DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in September. “The president has not asked the attorney general to contact Ukraine — on this or any other matter. The attorney general has not communicated with Ukraine — on this or any other subject. Nor has the attorney general discussed this matter, or anything relating to Ukraine, with Rudy Giuliani.”