rep ted lieu points out the bright side -- pelosi could have select committee w/ "full subpoena ...

[orleans]

with full subpoena power that the Republicans couldn't even object to."



lawrence o'donnell asked lieu on thursday:

"Would there be any changes that you would be willing to make in this bill to get it through the Senate?

LIEU: I`m not even sure what else we could do. We have basically put in all of the changes that the Republicans have asked for. This is a commission that is going to be half appointed by Republicans, half by Democrats, and any Republican can basically get their vice chair to object to any subpoena that the commission wants to issue.

So if this doesn`t happen, and I don`t know why Republicans would not support this, our fallback position is that the speaker could, if she wanted to, have a special select committee like the Benghazi select committee, and that committee would have full subpoena power that the Republicans couldn`t even object to. So I really don`t understand why Republicans are even objecting to this commission.

video
https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/ca-rep-ted-lieu-says-it-can-only-get-worse-for-trump-with-a-jan-6-commission-113743429541

transcript
https://www.msnbc.com/transcripts/transcript-last-word-lawrence-o-donnell-5-27-21-n1268907

[lagomorph777]

2. Yup - the GQP just fucked up big time.

They are about to be Benghazi'd to death.

Question. Can the Senate Majority Leader appoint his own Select Committee?

[Escurumbele]

23. Let's hope so...let's not count the chicks before the hatch

I want to be pleasantly surprised.

[japple]

34. Yep. As is always the case with the GQP: never underestimate the

depths to which they will sink.

[onetexan]

49. THIS!!! Let the Dems' version of Benghazi begin!

Screw Moscow Mitch & spineless mccarthy, and everyone of those sedition-supporting RW-nuts.

[Hekate]

3. KnR

[MiHale]

4. Maybe they think the Democrats alone would do a better job...

Even republicans know republicans lie all the time...maybe they want the whole truth to come out.

[luv2fly]

5. They'll just whine and call it partisan

Fox News will let them complain about the mean old Democrats, and all the Fox-watching zombies will eat it up.

[Takket]

6. exactly. and fuck 'em for doing so. move ahead, the people and truth are on our side

[PortTack]

7. They will whine regardless of what we do. Congress should act..do what's right. Not react

[zebrapa]

8. When they whine the simple response is

BENGHAZI. PERIOD

[lastlib]

19. AND: You had the chance to do it bi-partisan; you said no. So STFU.

[kentuck]

9. If they refuse their subpoenas, as they did the last time...?

Can the DOJ force them to testify?

Bill Barr had no inclination to force anyone to testify. But there's a new sheriff in town.

[luv2fly]

11. Can't they lock their asses up?

Refuse to appear, you go to jail. I mean, law and order and all that...

[wnylib]

31. Then they become martyrs for their cause

which would solidify the boldness of their followers - violent protests, physical attacks on government buildings and officials.

Special prosecutor might work better.

[luv2fly]

33. If violent protests and attacks on government buildings are the markers

Then it seems their boldness has already been solidified.

[Efilroft Sul]

42. If insurrection is the hill they want to die on, then let's kill them all.

[wnylib]

55. Works for me, IF it comes to that.

If they attempt another coup, DOJ and any necessary forces will need to respond.

[Autumn]

54. They have already become martyrs for their cause. The election was not overturned, Biden is still

president and Democrats are not dead nd they are being picked on because a lot of people know wht they did and it was made public. Fuck them. Let them be martyrs.

[localroger]

36. Yes, the DOJ enforces that

The pubs could thumb their noses at subpoenas as long as DOJ was run by Trump lackeys, but now they will send actual police with handcuffs to drag any refuseniks to the hearing.

[luv2fly]

38. You wrote "they will."

But I wonder "will they?"

[localroger]

57. Yes, most definitely

It is the justice department that determines these things, and now that Trump's lackeys have been kicked out the people there are about doing the rule of law again. There is still some wiggle room about ex presidents and all, but subpoenas are kind of sacred to these people and these will be enforced.

[NewJeffCT]

43. They need to send the subpoenas

saying that failure to comply will result in fines & imprisonment. No fucking around anymore.

[Vinca]

10. In a way, this is a big, fat gift to Democrats. When Republicans start to whine they'll have to

explain why they voted against a bill when Democrats gave them everything they wanted. Explain "on camera" that is. During the nonstop coverage of witnesses spilling their guts to Nancy's commission. My only question is whether the House committee will be able to refer things for prosecution. I suspect they will.

[bahboo]

40. especially when they're prone to blame it on antifa...

I mean why wouldn't they want to investigate? Oh, because they know they're full of shit...

[Historic NY]

12. She needs to pull the damn trigger next week

[ZonkerHarris]

13. Launch it on Tuesday

[Rebl2]

14. If she

is smart she will put republicans (not in office) on this committee that agree this should be investigated. There are many out there.

[ZonkerHarris]

15. I think McCarthy picks the Republicans on committees so expect Gym Jordan and Matt Gaetz

[lastlib]

20. McCarthy don't have shit to say about it now. This is Madame Speaker's ballgame.

[Rebl2]

25. If that's

true, then again I say put republicans who think this should be investigated on this commission. I have seen several on msnbc who believe it should be investigated.

[lastlib]

29. If you can find an honorable republikan who wants to find the truth, I wouldn't object.

Good luck with that. "Honorable" and "republican" are contradictory terms, IMHO.

[localroger]

37. Key is to find pubs who are out of office

The ones who aren't worried about a primary challenge are still often willing to criticize the orange buffoon. Plenty of them really don't like what happened on 1-6. Get a few of those so you can show that even though you could have frozen the pubs out you didn't, and add their voices to ours shouting who wrong this all was.

[ZonkerHarris]

48. I guess we need a civics lesson to end the week.....Under the House Rules...

Under the House Rules the chairman and members of committees are selected through a two-step procedure where the Democratic Caucus and the Republican Conference recommends members to serve on Committees, the majority party recommends a Chairman, and the Minority Party recommends a Ranking Member. It is important to note that the Rules of the Democratic Caucus and the Republican Conference determines the nomination procedure of its own members of a committee.

[Rebl2]

22. Oh

Never mind.

[wnylib]

32. Good point. That would be a good move.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. Yes, we must know. Benghazi gives us political cover, so why not?

This was an attack on our own Capitol, an insurrection, and the public doesn't want or need to know?

[Traildogbob]

17. This was a victory

We knew it would not pass, even after a bend over backwards bipartisan concession. Now Manchin and Cinnamon Buns can be hammered on the filibuster. Republicans have zero desire to work or pass anything. Now get to voting rights, kill the filibuster to do it, then infrastructure without an ounce of input from the treasonous shit show of republicans.
And why the fuck was she not there to even vote.
Thumbs down her ass out senate.

[localroger]

39. This is what I think

Offering all the concessions on the bipartisan commission was a trap and the pubs fell for it hard. They had a chance to have an equal hand and the right to block subpoenas, and even after getting every concession they demanded they turned it down knowing the Dems have other options. Now the Dems can exercise those options without guilt because they gave the pubs every possible chance to have more of a say, and the pubs didn't want in. It won't play to the hardcore 35% but it will play to the moderate middle, which is enough to turn our slight majority into a solid one on these issues.

[Traildogbob]

53. With you 100 percent.

[JHB]

18. Of course they'll object to it. That's what they do.

Blatant hypocrisy hasn't so much as slowed them down for over 40 years.

[monkeyman1]

21. let the games begin !! bring it on !!

[jalan48]

24. At this point why wouldn't she do it?

[Mr.Bill]

30. I would imagine the committee selection

process is already underway.

[jalan48]

41. So it's already been decided no full subpoena power?

[Mr.Bill]

44. Where did I say that?

I mean Pelosi is going through the process of deciding who to appoint to a select committee.

[jalan48]

50. Sorry. My misunderstanding. I'm sure Pelosi will do what Lieu is suggesting. Why not?

[Mr.Bill]

51. No problem.

That's what I like about DU. Unlike conservative sites where a simple misunderstanding leads to elevated blood pressures. I spent years prowling those sites arguing with people.

[jalan48]

56. ..

[Mr. Ected]

26. Having full subpoena power and USING full subpoena power

There's a big difference between the two.

Let's hope the Dems show some ballz and double down on witnesses that refuse to appear or to respond to questions.

[panfluteman]

27. Republicans Don't Want Any Kind of Investigation into January 6 Because

They know they are as guilty as HECK. And whatever investigating is done beyond the excellent job done by the second impeachment managers - of which Ted Lieu was one - it would only heap mountains of guilt upon all the leaders of the Republican party, especially the inciter in chief. Just think - they had a chance to have an investigation on terms that were very favorable to them - but they probably figured out that even this would show them to be guilty as all get out. I suppose that they weighed their options and figured out that they would be better off just relying on the Republican disinformation and spin machine to try their best to sway public opinion against the Democrats.

[Orrex]

28. Though I am not optimistic, I will reserve final judgment.

Hoping that Lieu is correct, as he so often is.

[TNNurse]

35. They could have had a bipartisan committee, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

They just gave her the chance to do it this way.

[Dave says]

45. Why would any of the right-wing extremists comply with a subpoena?

Their lawlessness is already so much in evidence. It will be complete chaos. However, it must be done, the special select committee. Somehow Ms Pelosi and crew will have to find sharp teeth to enforce the subpoenas and quiet the ravings of any Republicans that join the committee.

[kairos12]

46. Chump proved subpoenas

can be ignored with impunity.

Subpoena power means nothing now.

[Mr.Bill]

52. Barr isn't the AG anymore.

We'll see how Garland performs in enforcing subpoenas. When the first republican Congressperson gets arrested, it could be a game changer.

[BlueJac]

47. Go for it!