Page 2 - Contempt Powers News Today

Objective observer. it is abun danley clear the committees intent is not to find facts but to desperately and improperly influence the supreme court with mere inis in y -- insinuations and conspiracy theories. joining us here on set to talk more about this msnbc legal analyst sensitive. talk us through exactly what elijah cummings is accusing bill barr and wilbur ross of? >> congress has the foresubpoena documents but as weve seen over the last few months that power doesnt mean a whole lot becau...

>> we have an impulsive president and doesnt want to dig deep. they want to look at the surface and see what fits with their particular narrative. when you have this headbutting, you have educated decisions not being made and inpull siempulsi. there is no respect for legal president or constitutional and institutionalized norms and this is not the first time we had a strong personality but the first time we had somebody who is being rewarded for bad behavior and somebody that doesnt call him to ...

"repeatedly failed to produce documents requested by house judiciary government committees," but that he also "attempted to conceal surgeon facts." you are saying that there is no case for impeachment there? >> of course not. there is no crime. again, read my book. i lay out all the arguments that they did not want to see anybody impeached unless they committed treason, bribery, or other high crimes. they rejected a proposal that said maladministration or doing the kinds of things that rosenstei...

I need everyone to be quiet. i still have contempt powers. i told you, im not nice. i find that you dont get it. that youre a danger. you remain a danger. im a judge who believes in life and rehabilitation when rehabilitation is possible. i have many defendants come back here and show me the great things theyve done in their lives after probation, after parole. i dont find thats possible with you. so you will receive jail credit on counts 1, 2, 5, 10 and 18 of 369 days. on count 24, you will hav...

Whether investigating the clinton foundation or the latest assertion of collusion that is meritless. >> julie: the subpoenas were back in august. four months later after, the f.b.i. and d.o.j. havent provided the committee with the records. nunes is demanding all records and available dates for witnesses to testify to be provided to the committee by january 3. will the f.b.i. and d.o.j. comply and what happens if they dont? >> well, if the f.b.i. and the department of justice continue to ignore ...

He comes back before congress under subpoena and refuses to answer questions then he can be held in contempt. as a voluntary witness before the committee, he has -- there is no contempt powers over them. with respect to the assertion of the privilege if he tries that with muller -- because hes going to be interviewed with mueller under oath, mueller will have the judge hold him in contempt because it is an improper assertion of privilege. the fact that a lawyer is in the room when you are talkin...

Michael zelden, robert muellers former special assistant at the doj and the former prosecutor for the southern district of new york. good evening. thank you. michael, you first. i want to get your reaction to this news about donald trump, jr. that he would not speak to house investigators about his communication with his father after that trump tower meeting. as a matter of fact, inciting attorney-client privilege. what are the implications here? >> the implications are that if he comes back bef...

Seat if you can get the documents without fighting it out. if they are not turned over the next step is to use a grand jury subpoena which has powers, it has contempt powers if the white house should fail to comply with that compulsion then people could be put in jail. so i think theyre taking it through this route of professional courtesy. if not, i think all the lawyers involved know they have a heavy hammer to back it up. >> putting on your u.s. attorney hat what do make of donald trumps sens...