US Congress stares down for bringing Trump to book

It was supposed to be a critical week in the congressional investigation into the January 6 Capitol insurrection, focusing on the role of Donald Trump in the riot that threatened US democracy.

The former president’s key ally Steve Bannon and loyalist staffer Kash Patel were to appear on Thursday while his White House chief Mark Meadows and social media guru Dan Scavino were on the docket for Friday.

But none turned up after Trump claimed “executive privilege” barring their participation — highlighting the limits of Congress’s authority to investigate leaders who just don’t want to be held to account.

The House January 6 select committee has repeatedly vowed to take tough action over subpoena holdouts, and kept its word by announcing members were moving to hold Bannon in criminal contempt for his noshow.

Meadows and Patel bought themselves more time with the committee, US media reported on Thursday, agreeing to short postponements. Scavino’s deadline was also delayed.

The panel has enjoyed moderate successes, with former acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen testifying this week about pressure from Trump to involve the Justice Department in the former president’s election fraud misinformation campaign.

Meanwhile, House Democrats have introduced legislation to speed up the enforcement of subpoenas. But for now, say critics, Congress has proved powerless to stop the twice-impeached and twiceacquitted Trump from stonewalling every attempt to investigate the many allegations of malfeasance he has faced.

Fiona Hill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a one-time deputy assistant to Trump, said in an interview on Wednesday that his defiance of Congress and election fraud lies were part of “a slow motion coup.” Congress has a few legal avenues it can follow in a bid to outmanoeuvre Trump. But the former reality TV star will be dipping into his own bag of tricks honed over two impeachment probes.

Trump’s defiance of Congress and election fraud lies were part of a slow motion coup. Congress has a few legal avenues it can follow in a bid to outmanoeuvre Trump

FIONA HILL A senior fellow