White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway defied the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena on Monday by refusing to show up to a hearing about her alleged Hatch Act violations.
I do believe that is intended to be said in the form of a repeated chant . . . but yes, that would be nice. She should certainly be fired for the most blatant violation of the Hatch Act that I think I have ever seen.
This refusal isn’t surprising, but it sure leaves us in a kind of “no man’s land” in terms of the rules of governance. How long before we can no longer claim to be a stable country of laws? I don’t think we have much time left . . . .
OK, I don’t get this. There has to be some sort of legal teeth to apply when someone defies a subpoena, right? Because you and I sure as hell can’t just defy a subpoena. What is the punitive process that can be applied by Congress?
I’m convinced the two of them are running a long con. They were Cruz supporters until the nomination, then Kellyanne jumped on the grifter bandwagon and George played the good cop never trumper on twitter. They probably ROFL’d writing the “anonymous” editorial that built up the fiction of administration insiders doing their best to save the world.
At night they put their heads together and laugh uproariously over what an idiot trump is, and they add another chapter to the inevitable tell-all book they will publish as their entree to a life of wingnut welfare.
Cipollone argued that Conway “cannot be compelled to testify before Congress with respect to matters related to her service as a senior adviser to the President,” which is why Trump “has directed Ms. Conway not to appear at the Committee’s scheduled hearing.”
This is what Cipollone would argue (almost certainly in vain) in the event of an impeachment. Which is one strong reason to begin an impeachment investigation. Because Trump would try to blow up the very process, and ordinary Americans would begin to get the picture that he is acting like a dictator. And the refusal to cooperate would itself be a ground for impeachment.
“What I actually appreciate about Donald Trump is that he’s eliminated subtext in American life. It’s all text now. This is explicit.”
— Anand Giridharadas, on All In with Chris Hayes, today.