Post-Mueller report, House Democrats are still coming up with new ideas to keep bleeding controversy out of President Trump’s 2016 campaign:
According to a Fridayreport in Reuters, “[a] senior Democratic lawmaker has suggested fines of $25,000 a day for contempt on U.S. officials who stonewall congressional investigations of President Donald Trump and his administration.”
“Expanding on an idea floated days ago by Democrats as a way of putting some teeth into various inquiries of Trump, his turbulent presidency, his family and his business interests, Representative Adam Schiff spoke in two interviews about reviving the ‘inherent contempt’ power of Congress.
“‘We would levy fines on those who are not cooperating,’ Schiff, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee told Axios in an interview published on Friday.
“‘You could fine someone $25,000 a day until they comply. You can do that. We’re looking through the history and studying the law to make sure we’re on solid ground,’ Schiff said.”
Inherent contempt is an attractive option for House Democrats, the Reuters’ story explains, who are wary of proceeding with impeachment of the president, or who would prefer not to go through the courts, as such an option may be “time consuming.”
Moreover, “[u]nder inherent contempt, the House sergeant-at-arms can arrest and detain people,” such as Attorney General Bill Barr.
Democratic leaders have said they have no plans to revive that power,”
“‘It used to be we imprisoned people,’ said Rep. Schiff. ‘But we could also fine them $25,000 a day until they comply, or some other number.'”
But calls to jail the United States Attorney General continue to resound from the Democratic side.
A Monday story from Fox News details the increasing number of Democrats making such comments, such as those of Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD): “We know how to arrest people around here And if we need to arrest someone, the [House] sergeant-at-arms will know how to do it. I’m not afraid of that.”
