Page 643 - Contempt News Today

Civil tools. that can take forever. it can take years to get testimony that way. the second way is by holding the person who defies the subpoena in contempt. congress would find they are in contempt and then ask the justice department to prosecute the person who defied the subpoena. its clear that members of this committee are seriously considering going that route. multiple members have talked about it. its also a pretty significant tool that they have. first, because, of course, the justice de...

Privilege effect, john, for an ex-president. the courts have recognized that the current president should, for example, consult the ex president. but the ultimate decision, the courts have said, the big case is nixon versus the general services administration, that these privileges belong to the country. the country only has one president at a time. thats donald trump. that was donald trump. now its joe biden. joe biden makes these decisions. so this is a borderline, frivolous instruction to the...

It in. they may not be able to. so, of course, theres a political gamble or risk that trump and company are willing to take here which is to have the claims that are pretty damning be unanswered. so that will happen. but, of course, they were willing to do that in the impeachments, and then i think pretty well established the charges, but he just folded his arms and said no way and expressed contempt. at least for his base, which is the only lookout for him, it seems to be, that continues to mat...

With subpoenas from the january 6th committee. obviously, its one thing to actually fight a subpoena in court. its another to completely ignore it at the direction of the former president, isnt it? >> he has no authority to do that. each of those people have to decide what they can do, and they cant say, well, im acting under the orders of former president trump. thats no order. it is meaningless. so they can find themselves in contempt. and anderson, again, this is where the house has failed to...

Quick action and hold that refuse to comply with the subpoenas in criminal con templt. how much power do they have? >> they have to work with the department of justice for the criminal referral element. you have a different attorney general here who is prone at this point to follow the law obviously, to honor the department of justice and the role of what other members of congress could play to say that the person can be held in contempt and requires a vote from the people on the committee askin...

Definitely something, it sounds like chairman thompson is not taking for granted as melissa pointed out. it is interesting criminal contempt or civil contempt as punishment for people who try circumvent these subpoenas. it sounds like hes using every tool available to compel these witnesses to cooperate and that is something that voters will pay attention to and appreciate. >> we would home so. thank you so much for joining us to start off on "the beat." juanita, please stay with me. trumps 2024...

Not going to be likely other than a case by case basis extend any privilege thats not owed to a former president and now you have the idea of courts already having seen a preview in the prior instances of attempting to evade a congressional subpoena, now being read up on the issue so to speak. two years ago we were really in the wild, wild west of legal novelty. now you have judges all across the country who are read into issue and can do it on a more expedited basis. but its going to take not o...

Seems right to me. the democrats have been surely browned by the republicans, at every turn, for going on what five plus years. lay out for us, what the committee can possibly do, can really do, real consequences, beyond kind of vague threats and promises. >> well, the committee doesnt have that many options. but one option that is available, that was not really available in the last congress that i worked for the house, is to refer over these witnesses to the department of justice, to initiate ...

Any privilege thats not owed to a former president and now you have the idea of courts already having seen a preview in the prior instances of attempting to evade a congressional subpoena, now being read up on the issue so to speak. two years ago we were really in the wild, wild west of legal novelty. now you have judges all across the country who are read into issue and can do it on a more expedited basis. but its going to take not only congress acting in terms of contempt perhaps but also mayb...

If trump replaced rosen with clark. even trumps white house council threatened to resign calling trumps plan to issue clarks letter a murder/suicide pact because of the chaos it would unleash. all of this played out behind closed doors three days from january 6th. it represents a fraction of what the committee uncovered. further proof not only of trumps personal disgrace but also his complete contempt for the democratic principles this country tells the world that it stands for. that is not hype...