Commentary: Congress has the subpoena power to stand up to a bully president. Enforcing it is trickier
by Elie Mystal, Los Angeles Times
Oct 16, 2019
3 minutes
The Trump administration has been flouting Congress' oversight power with abandon, withholding documents, proclaiming that this or that aide or Cabinet member simply will not testify, deciding by fiat that the whole shebang is unconstitutional. The House's slow-mo response - belated contempt votes and lawsuits - is fueling a Beltway refrain: Congress' subpoena power is "weak."
In fact, the House of Representatives has all the legal authority it needs to conduct executive branch oversight, including an impeachment inquiry targeting the president. What is weak - because it is untried - is its enforcement
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