Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker Threatens to Stiff-Arm Congress

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Daily Beast


Whitaker will not testify before Congress unless the House Judiciary Committee chairman promises, in writing and by 6 p.m. Thursday, that he will not subpoena him.

Betsy Woodruff
02.07.19 12:49 PM ET

Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker is set to stiff-arm Congress.

Unless House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler promises—in writing —not to subpoena him today or tomorrow during his testimony, Whitaker will not testify, according to a letter the Justice Department sent to Nadler Thursday afternoon.

The Justice Department’s head of legislative affairs, Stephen Boyd, wrote in the letter that unless Nadler’s committee promises by 6 p.m. Thursday not to subpoena Whitaker, he will not show up.

The committee voted on Thursday morning to let Nadler subpoena Whitaker if he so chooses. Boyd fired back in his letter, calling the move an effort “to transform the hearing into a public spectacle.”


Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/acting-attorney-general-matt-whitaker-threatens-to-stiff-arm-congress?source=articles&via=rss

[Sneederbunk]

1. Pull the subpoena and reissue if necessary.

[CurtEastPoint]

2. I don't think that's how this works. Right? No one can refuse to testify, espec. w/a subpoena?

[2naSalit]

23. That's what I thought, too...

[Achilleaze]

3. Flush the republican scofflaw down his scumbucket toilets

[TygrBright]

4. I don't think issuing ultimata to Senators, even GOPpies, is a good strategy. n/t

[SWBTATTReg]

5. Another scumbag shows his true colors. Where does rump find all of these people? Do ...

the Russians have a list or roster of all of those they have corrupted, which in turn, they provide the list of candidates for rump to nominate/choose for a particular office? Really does make one wonder.

[lame54]

21. Trump found this guy on tv...

He went on news shows and spoke glowingly of Trump as an audition
He spoke of ways he would cripple Mueller's investigation
It worked perfectly
Almost
He's too corrupt to be confirmed AG
So they settled for acting AG

[amb123]

6. So congressional oversight is now "spectacle"

Like Christians being eaten by lions in the Roman Coliseum. Sickening!

[NurseJackie]

7. Flop-Sweat-Guy needs to be told: That's not how it works.

[George II]

8. If I were Nadler I would respond to that demand WITH a subpoena at 6:00 PM tonight.

[rurallib]

15. Agree - if Whitaker can dictate terms to congress, why can't everybody?

Elections have consequences - Nadler, do your duty!

[bluestarone]

9. Would be a good question for

BARR to answer? (does he agree with Whitaker?)

[UpInArms]

10. I have a stiff thing for Whitaker

[Zorro]

11. Lock Him Up!

[edhopper]

12. Does this have to do with

he doesn't have to testify under oath if not subpoenaed?

[yaesu]

13. If Whitaker can hide behind a trump executive privilege thingy he may gey away with just civil fines

if he is found in contempt, per past cases, but not sure if he could use that. If not he could be held in contempt and locked up but if it goes to the supreme court they would probably rule in his favor, 5th amendment right violation which has happened in the past.

[More_Cowbell]

14. Trump must claim the executive privilege, first

Which is why the committee supplied Whitaker with the questions, so that Trump could decide if he was going to claim the privilege.

What has been happening is that Republicans have been refusing to testify, but without officially claiming privilege.

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti has a great twitter thread on this

Link to tweet

[ffr]

19. It's precisely what someone who is openly truthful would do. Refuse to testify.

And grasp for reasons to justify why they shouldn't have to be openly truthful.

[yaesu]

25. Whitaker is evoking executive privilege without trump evoking executive privilege

he is refusing to answer questions, he is being belligerent and this is the play book that trump will follow when it comes to investigations. Its just reported that congress will force him back to answer the question one way or another.

[Ligyron]

16. We need hearings on multiple committees and make sure they're covered by the MSM.

And not run into one another either.

[Firestorm49]

17. "Transform the hearing into a public spectacle". ?

The complete intentional, asinine, and repulsive behavior of the prior Rethuglican led House during its sham of an investigation was more than a spectacle. What do these idiots think? It’s been a public spectacle since day one.

[DirtEdonE]

18. "What we have here is a failure to communicate"

What we need here is a constitutional crisis. Really. Subpoena Whitaker. Force him to comply by whatever means necessary.

[NoMoreRepugs]

20. All rules, social norms, hell, even reality is different for Repugs than Democrats.

[dawnie51]

22. Dump is not filling the cabinet....

because he's afraid of the 25th. Half the cabinet is now actings. How long can this shit be allowed to go on?

[red dog 1]

24. Call his bluff!

Do NOT send the letter (It's already more than an hour past 6 PM EST)

Subpoena the bastard!


(K&R, thanks for posting, Judi Lynn)

[Thomas Hurt]

26. Meh, put an end to this...

Trump won't assert privilege then hold the apparatchik in contempt of Congress if he refuses to answer questions.