Posted on 07/17/2019 8:00:06 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Washington (CNN)The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in criminal contempt over a dispute related to the Trump administration's efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
The vote was 230-198, largely along party lines. Four Democrats broke with their party and voted against the resolution. One independent -- Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan -- supported the resolution.
The vote marks the first time that the full House has voted on criminal contempt of Trump administration officials since Democrats took over the majority. The move is virtually guaranteed to further inflame hostilities between the administration and House Democrats as they pursue oversight efforts. It is unclear, however, what practical impact the House contempt vote will have since a US attorney is not likely to take action against the head of their own Justice Department.
The latest escalation in tensions between House Democrats and the administration comes after the House Oversight Committee approved a resolution last month recommending that the House find Barr and Ross in contempt "for refusal to comply with subpoenas" issued as part of the panel's investigation into the push to include a question about citizenship in the upcoming census.
After the Supreme Court last month blocked the question from being added to the census, Trump created uncertainty over what would happen when he insisted that efforts to add the question were "absolutely moving forward" despite statements from both his Department of Justice and secretary of commerce that the administration was printing the census without the question. But at the end of last week, Trump retreated, instead asking government agencies to provide records that could determine a head-count of citizens without polling census-takers directly.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Exactly what does being held in contempt of congress do to you?
Both then AG Eric Holder and IRS Director Lois Lerner were held in contempt of congress.... what then?
Lerner still has her fat 6 figure pension and Eric Holder is still FREE giving his five figure speeches.
Does the Senate have to agree?
It’s becoming a real Welstone funeral over there in the House isn’t it?
This is a power they granted themselves. I don’t think you’ll find it in the constitution.
the House continues to make great and greater and greater fools of themselves
its really amazing just how crazy these congress=critters are!
super-nuts!
I hold Congress in contempt.
It’s like a bunch of ghetto versions of Barney Fife got elected to Congress
I am greatly in favor of such resolutions. The more time they waste on useless legislation like this, the less time they have to attempt to undo the Trump Recovery.
I’ve held the House in contempt for decades.
Even when it was run by Bush League Republicans.
Oh please... they started of in a state of total war against this administration.
Think of lying to Congress as though you are lying to Bozo the Clown. Not only is there no penalty, if you don’t lie, you don’t understand the stage!
The power is valid. But as with everything it touches, Congress abuses and makes a joke of its powers. It is a failed institution.
What is the history of this congressional power.
“Largely along party lines”
F’n CNN what BS spin, every vote was a Rat except the traitor Amash who is supposedly an independent.
“What is the history of this congressional power.”
It’s statutory. 2USCA192. Passed into law in 1938.
L
Considering that a good many of us have not only contempt, but have no regard whatsoever for the idiots composing the majority of the house (not capitalized on purpose - it’s a slime house), and the almost majority of the senate.
They are not called “congresscritters” for no reason.
I see.
“Before a Congressional witness may be convicted of contempt, it must be established that the matter under investigation is a subject which Congress has constitutional power to legislate.”
But wasn’t this a matter between The executive branch and the SCOTUS? Wasn’t the president trying to reverse an Obama EO that removed a question that had been on the census for a hundred years or more?
The court didn’t rule the question was unconstitutional. It should have been a slam dunk.
Roberts is the guy who was out of order, not Trump or Barr or anyone else.
It is better known as a Bill of Attainder.
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