Axios reports that they are hearing Donald Trump Jr. won’t show up in response to the subpoena issued by the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee. “Republican-led” is misleading. The only Republican who supported it was the Chair Richard Burr. All six Republican committee members criticized Burr’s decision.
Don Jr. could be held in contempt and some Democrats are calling for his imprisonment or huge fines. If he does go, he could always take the Fifth. Perhaps they will compromise, but it’s doubtful. He offered to answer questions in writing, but they want to humiliate him or try to entrap him in a lie.
This is where the administration is drawing the battle line. Rep. Meadows explained the view of a number of Republicans:
Serving a subpoena to Don Trump Jr.—a private citizen who voluntarily testified before 3 Congressional committees for 25+ hours—is beyond inappropriate. He answered questions and was cleared in the Mueller report after a 2 year, unlimited investigation.
It’s over. Let it go.
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) May 9, 2019
Adam Schiff wants to revise “inherent contempt power,” which has not been used on 100 years. He says it would allow him to fine Trump officials $25,000 a day. They’re like a bunch of little Mussolinis.
The never Trumpers are every bit as bad as the left. Take Jonah Goldberg for example.
This is a bad take. I’m puzzled by it. It’s almost obtuse in its refusal to confront the actual arguments over the issue.@hughhewitt https://t.co/YO0ZW6gOwg
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 10, 2019
Bill Kristol abhors the “extraordinary spectacle of Republican members of Congress rushing to defend Don Jr defying a duly authorized subpoena from a serious committee chaired by a respected colleague.”
Kristol should get called to Congress and abused by gasbags for hours. Let’s see how he likes it.
That committee is anything but “serious” and the chair is not all that “respected.” He should just switch to the Democrat Party where he belongs.
Most Republicans are supporting Don Jr. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tweeted: “Apparently the Republican chair of the Senate Intel Committee didn’t get the memo from the Majority Leader that this case was closed.”
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy wrote: “@DonaldJTrumpJr has already spent dozens of hours testifying in front of Congressional committees. Endless investigations—by either party—won’t change the fact that there was NO collusion. It’s time to move on. It’s time to focus on ISSUES, not investigations.”
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.): “Weak & ridiculous for Senate to perpetuate the Russia Collusion Delusion by continuing to harass @DonaldJTrumpJr. They should NOT be taking orders from unhinged resistance Dems. Let’s work together to help POTUS move US forward.”
Hard to justify Senate subpoena of @DonaldJTrumpJr. After two years of investigations by Mueller, Senate & House as well as Don, Jr. testifying for many hours before House & Senate Intel Committees, what is Senate thinking?
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) May 9, 2019
The committee didn’t even notify anyone the subpoena was coming. That’s just nasty.
Nastier still is Da Nang Dick Blumenthal who wants to imprison Donald Jr.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal says if Donald Trump Jr. fails to comply to a subpoena from the GOP-led Senate Intelligence Committee he should be “put in jail”: “He has no privilege, prison is the only answer” https://t.co/wRHSMOzcwT pic.twitter.com/A4wD0IfaId
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 9, 2019
At the same time, the House Ways and Means Committee issued a subpoena to the Treasury. They want Trump’s tax returns. It’s not yet known if the Treasury will show up. Kim Jong-un could set off a nuclear weapon and all the Democrats would talk about is Trump’s tax returns.
Richard Burr is the new Jeff Flake.
If he ends up being forced somehow he should develop a 5 minute speech that starts off with, “Senator, Have you No Shame….”, and continue along the same lines. Maybe mentioning all open source evidence that is NOT investigated. I would repeat that with Every Senator, no matter the question. And any answers would be “I’m not sure”, “I don’t recall” etc, for every question.
Greg – If Trump Jr answered every question with “I can’t recall” or “I’m not sure”, it STILL wouldn’t work. The AG William Barr is under calls for impeachment/imprisionment for doing exactly that. All the slimy Dems would have to do is ask Trump Jr. question he already answered during his previous 25 hours of questioning, then when he says he “can’t recall”, they’d accuse him of lying and challenge the President to jail him. When the President rightfully refused to prosecute, they’d call that an impeachable offense.
RINO’s are part of the resistance, globalism and cheap labor, abhors the nation-state.
Yes, lots of “conservatives” continually whine about the democrats, but it was and is key republicans that started and perpetuate the witch hunt. (Sessions, Mitch, Burr, Ryan, …) Know your enemy.
People that do not understand the situation are just fools of the partisan game.