Posted on 05/16/2023 10:19:35 AM PDT by ConservativeInPA
Tony Blinken could be the first-ever secretary of state to face criminal charges from Congress, after House Republicans said they plan to hold him in contempt for failing to produce documents about the botched Afghanistan withdrawal.
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R., Texas) said Sunday that he will "move forward to contempt proceedings" against Blinken. "This would be the first time a secretary of state has ever been held in contempt by Congress and it's criminal contempt, so I don't take it lightly," McCaul said on ABC’s This Week.
McCaul’s comments come after Blinken missed a deadline last Thursday to turn over a trove of internal State Department documents to the committee about the bungled evacuation that left 13 Americans dead. Included among the requested documents is a classified State Department dissent cable that is believed to show Biden administration officials knew the Taliban would quickly reassume control of the country once American forces departed.
(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...
Just do it and quit talking about doing it.
Talk about is all they are going to do
Get'r done
McCarthy will NEVER sign an Arrest and Detainment warrant, so this is a BIG NOTHING!!
“U.S. CODE
TITLE 2—THE CONGRESS
CHAPTER 6—CONGRESSIONAL AND COMMITTEE PROCEDURE; INVESTIGATIONS
Sec. 193. Privilege of witnesses
No witness is privileged to refuse to testify to any fact, or to produce any paper, respecting which he shall be examined by either House of Congress, or by any joint committee established by a joint or concurrent resolution of the two Houses of Congress, or by any committee of either House, upon the ground that his testimony to such fact or his production of such paper may tend to disgrace him or otherwise render him infamous.”
Simply look up Hinds Precedents, especially chapters 53 and 51, and Cannon’s Precedents, especially chapters 184-185. You’ll find numerous detailed cases of Congress asserting its power, arresting people, holding them until they agreed to answer questions, and then releasing them. Some of these people did not refuse to appear, but simply failed to satisfactorily answer questions.
Congress has the authority to arrest and imprison those found in Contempt. The power extends throughout the United States and is an inherent power (does not depend upon legislated act)
If found in Contempt the person can be arrested under a warrant of the Speaker of the House of Representatives or President of the Senate, by the respective Sergeant at Arms.
Statutory criminal contempt is an alternative to inherent contempt.
Under the inherent contempt power Congress may imprison a person for a specific period of time or an indefinite period of time, except a person imprisoned by the House of Representatives may not be imprisoned beyond adjournment of a session of Congress.
Imprisonment may be coercive or punitive.
Some references
[1] Joseph Story’s Commentaries on the Constitution, Volume 2, § 842 http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/print_documents/a1_5s21.html
[2] Anderson v. Dunn - 19 U.S. 204 - “And, as to the distance to which the process might reach, it is very clear that there exists no reason for confining its operation to the limits of the District of Columbia; after passing those limits, we know no bounds that can be prescribed to its range but those of the United States.” http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/19/204/case.html
[3] Jurney v. MacCracken, 294 U.S. 125 http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/294/125/case.html 73rd Cong., 78 Cong. Rec. 2410 (1934) https://archive.org/details/congressionalrec78aunit
[4] McGrain v. Daugherty, 273 U.S. 135 - Under a warrant issued by the President of the Senate the Deputy to the Senate Sergeant at Arms arrested at Cincinnati, Ohio, Mally S. Daugherty, who had been twice subpoenaed by the Senate and twice failed to appear. http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/273/135/case.html
[5] Rules of the House of Representatives, Rule IV Duties of the Sergeant at Arms - [] execute the commands of the House, and all processes issued by authority thereof, directed to him by the Speaker. http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/HMAN-105/pdf/HMAN-105-pg348.pdf
[6] An analysis of Congressional inquiry, subpoena, and enforcement http://www.constitutionproject.org/documents/when-congress-comes-calling-a-primer-on-the-principles-practices-and-pragmatics-of-legislative-inquiry/
In 1857, a New York Times reporter refused to say which members of Congress had asked him to get them bribes (protecting his “sources” just as various Judith Millers today protect the people who feed them proven lies that costs thousands of lives), so Congress locked him up until he answered and then banned him from Congress.
In 1924 an oil executive appeared but refused to answer certain questions, so the Senate held — literally held — him in contempt. Senator Thomas Walsh of Montana argued that this question of contempt was of the gravest importance, and that it involved “the very life of the effective existence of the House of Representatives of the United States and of the Senate of the United States.” The matter was taken to court, and the witness fined and imprisoned.
...House Republican watchdogs in action....!! “RUFF-RUFF, growl...bark bark...!! WOOF WOOF...!!” (then rolls over to have tummy rubbed......)
“Tony Blinken >could< be the first-ever secretary of state to face criminal charges from Congress”
But he won’t. They all work for the same bosses and the same war machine.
The Deep State is NOT repairable by mankind.......
I’m sure he’s shaking in his shoes.
Winken and Nod unavailable for comment
Won’t matter unless the House sends the Sergeant of Arms to make the arrest instead of leaving the matter to the DOJ.
If the DOJ won’t touch this, then the House needs to adjust their funding accordingly.
Included among the requested documents is a classified State Department dissent cable that is believed to show Biden administration officials knew the Taliban would quickly reassume control of the country once American forces departed.
Even I knew this as did most Americans.
I suspect that will not be the case...
Just do it and quit talking about doing it.
~~~
The sad part is, contempt of congress has no teeth to it anyway. It’s akin to an angry letter. These carny deadbeats wont even do it anyway.
The only caveat is when the contempt of congress is lodged against a republican, and particularly a Trump republican. Then it gets referred to the DOJ where it actually does have teeth because they can prosecute. That would not happen here though againt Blinken, obiously
I’d rather have a contempt than nothing at all.
First ever contempt eh? Let’s see em beat Trump being impeached while not even holding office! Then I’ll be impressed.
There must be an election coming up for this drama to be created.
Congress will act on this right after the contempt finding against Eric Holder.
LMAO, sure, nod nod, wink wink. Operative word COULD, but, won't happen because republicans lack the testosterone to lift a finger to actually DO something, all talk, NO action.
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