Democrat bill targets ‘presidential abuses’
House Democrats yesterday proposed a bill to curb presidential abuses, a pitch to voters weeks ahead of Election Day as they try to defeat President Donald Trump, capture the Senate from Republicans and keep their House majority.
The legislation, awide-ranging package ofnew and revised bills, would limit the president’s pardon power, strengthen laws to ban presidents from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments, better protect independent agency watchdogs and whistleblowers from firing or retribution and require better reporting by campaigns of foreign election interference.
Each of the bill’s provisions is a response to actions by Trumpor his administration that Democrats see as abuses of presidential power.
It builds on an elections and ethics reform package the House passed soon after Democrats reclaimed the majority in 2019.
The sweeping reform package is “designed to address the president’s staggering litany of abuses and ensure they can never happen again by anyone”, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whoannounced the legislation along with the heads of seven House committees.
Pelosi called the measure “future focused” and said it would “restore checks and balances not only during this term but for any future president”.
The legislation comes as House Democrats have been repeatedly denied information from thetrump administration and as officials have faced little consequence for defying subpoenas and ignoring requests and investigations. The bill would also strengthen congressional tools to enforce subpoenas by expediting the judicial process and allowing courts to fine officialswhowon’t comply.
Congress has yet to send to the president any legislation to try to curb foreign election interference after Russia meddled in Trump’s favour on several fronts in the 2016 presidential contest. Legislation passed by the House on election reform and other issues has been left unconsidered by the Republican-controlled Senate, and Democrats acknowledged there is little chance thenewbill will be approved.
In addition to strengthening reporting requirements for campaigns, the bill would clarify and enhance criminal penalties for campaigns that accept foreign information sought or obtained for political advantage.
The election provisions are a response to the Trumpcampaign’s interactions with Russians during the 2016 campaign, including conversations between the president’s son Donald Trump Jr and intermediaries about information that could incriminate Democrat Hillary Clinton. — AP