DEMS DIGGING DEEP ON DON
Seek White House, fam & biz records
House leaders turned up the heat on President Trump on Monday, blitzing the White House and members of Trump’s immediate family with records requests aimed at uncovering alleged wrongdoing and West Wing collusion with Russia.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep, Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn) said the requests — more than 80 to individuals and groups — are intended to determine if the administration has obstructed justice and is guilty of corruption and abuse of power.
“We have sent these document requests in order to begin building the public record,” Nadler said. “We will act quickly to gather this information, assess the evidence, and follow the facts where they lead with full transparency with the American people.
“This is a critical time for our nation, and we have a responsibility to investigate these matters and hold hearings for the public to have all the facts. That is exactly what we intend to do.”
Recipients of the Judiciary Committee requests include most of Trump’s immediate family, many of his business associates, and dozens of people with intimate knowledge of Trump’s administration, campaign and business dealings.
Also on the list are Trump’s campaign organization, the Trump Foundation, his inaugural committee, the White House, the Trump Organization, the Justice Department, the FBI and the General Services Administration.
Four committee chairmen made demands for information and documents related to communications between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. House members are also seeking information that could potentially lay the groundwork for impeachment proceedings.
The White House was also hit with a joint records request from chairmen of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
The joint request, from Reps. Adam Schiff, Eliot Engel and Elijah Cummings, urged the White House to comply by March. 15.
The Democratic leaders said they are examining issues surrounding talks between Trump and Putin amid reports that Trump has taken steps to conceal details of his communications with Putin from administration officials, Congress and the public.
“These allegations, if true, raise profound national security, counterintelligence and foreign policy concerns, especially in light of Russia’s ongoing active measures campaign to improperly influence American elections,” their request said.
According to news reports, Trump seized notes pertaining to at least one meeting he held with Putin, and directed at least one American interpreter to keep quiet regarding the substance of talks with Putin.
Trump was dismissive of the demands.
“Now that the Dems are going to try & switch from Collusion to some other reason, it makes them continue to look like sore losers who didn’t accept the WILL OF THE PEOPLE in the last election,” Trump tweeted. “They will do anything to get rid of the President.”