Discussion: House Democrats Demand Treasury Records On Lifting Russian Sanctions

[system1]

House Democrats Demand Treasury Records On Lifting Russian Sanctions Back to article

[lizzymom]

Yup. It’s time to start getting the accountability train moving at full speed.

[atldrew]

The letter comes two days after Treasury announced the sanctions were being lifted on the grounds that Derapaska’s direct and indirect shareholding stake in the three companies had been reduced to the point that he no longer has control over them.

insert the “sure Jan” meme here.

[lizzymom]

Derapaska’s direct and indirect shareholding stake in the three companies had been reduced to the point that he no longer has control over them.

insert the “sure Jan” meme here.

I agree. Putting them in your mistress’s name or buried inside a shell company in Malta or wherever doesn’t remove them from your control.

I’d like to see what actually happened to the stakes he had. Betcha Mnoochie is unwilling/unable to provide that information.

[rickjones]

Tick-tock, tick-tock …

Slow roll it, you can try,

But coming, the time is.

Truth will be truth again.

And reality will be real.

[greenman66]

Wow, three House committees biting at Mnunchin’s ass at once, this is going to be fun. He can go down to the printing office with his bimbo and fondle some fresh money to console himself.

[tsp]

Holy Shit! So this is what Congressional oversight looks like! It’s been so long since i’ve observed this phenomenon.

[lastroth]

There is another aspect to this, which is there is an aluminum smelter in MO’s bootheel. So where’s Trump’s America First in regards to America manufacturing?
And by the way Rep. Jason Smith MO-8, whose district this smelter is in voter to lift the sanctions. So Trump’s administration has screwed over two businesses in Smith’s district, Magnitude 7 Metals and Mid Continent Nail Company.

[ljb860]

But first they got to delay. Must have time to manufacture the docs. Otherwise all they got is Stevie’s nod to RU.

[jacksonhts]

Despite coming up short, the votes demonstrated the breadth of concern on Capitol Hill over Treasury’s decision, with many Republicans joining Democrats to oppose the sanctions deal.

The Crypto-Confederates who have taken over the philosophy and modus operandi of the Modern GOP continue to live by the creed of whatever means necessary, even treason.

[oscarhomolka]

Maybe Mnuchin will be the next cabinet member to be microscopically analyzed by Treasury’s Inspector General.

Usually… ETTD.

[katscherger]

This is what oversight looks like!

[katscherger]

When little Stevie and his minions ignore the requests, they will be served subpoenas. Democrats mean business.

Oh, and I hope Stevie is questioned about his conflicts of interest. Rachel Maddow covered it on her show last night. And

[mondfledermaus]

Discussion: House Democrats Demand Treasury Records On Lifting Russian Sanctions

There is no documentation, it was all wire transfers to numbered accounts in tax-havens. There no receipts for that.

[gusfabriani]

The Trump Crime Syndicate will simply ignore demand letters and/or subpoenas and let things grind away for months/years in the courts. Contempt of Congress is just business as usual for TrumpCo

[gargoyle]

When the administration refuses to comply with congressional subpoenas, invoking executive privilege to hide the fact that many of these decisions were made without proper study and based on Bannon/Miller ideology or on undue foreign influence or on partisan political considerations … can Congress force compliance, or can the Executive branch stonewall forever? At Lawfare today, Margaret Taylor has an article suggesting the answer isn’t as Constitution-based and law-based as we might hope.
https://www.lawfareblog.com/congressional-subpoena-power-and-executive-privilege-coming-showdown-between-branches
The article includes links to past articles diving more deeply into details or analyzing past executive-privilege conflicts. It also notes that laws and case law regarding Special Counsel Mueller’s subpoenas are quite different from those covering congressional subpoenas. Some key bits:

The Washington Post reports that the new White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, has hired 17 lawyers specifically for the purpose of strongly asserting the president’s executive privilege in responding to investigators for the House of Representatives.

While there is no express provision in the Constitution that addresses the investigative power, the Supreme Court has firmly established that such power is essential to the legislative function as implied from the general vesting of legislative powers in Congress.

[quote]As the Congressional Research Service explained in 2017:

Congress has three formal methods by which it can combat non-compliance with a duly issued subpoena. Each of these methods invokes the authority of a separate branch of government. First, the long dormant inherent contempt power permits Congress to rely on its own constitutional authority to detain and imprison a contemnor until the individual complies with congressional demands. Second, the criminal contempt statute permits Congress to certify a contempt citation to the executive branch for the criminal prosecution of the contemnor. Finally, Congress may rely on the judicial branch to enforce a congressional subpoena. Under this procedure, Congress may seek a civil judgment from a federal court declaring that the individual in question is legally obligated to comply with the congressional subpoena.

[/quote]

There is no mention of executive privilege in the United States Constitution—rather, it is a principle implied in the Constitution’s separation of powers. … the five general types of executive privilege that the executive branch has claimed in the past: presidential communications, deliberative process, attorney-client communications, law enforcement investigations, and sensitive military, diplomatic and national security information.

[footballreddog]

McConnel gets millions from Russia for campaign. So do other Republican Party candidates…here’s recent news, check it out:

McConnell Received $3.5M In Campaign Donations From Russian Oligarch-Linked...

[tgp]

Is that like putting your hotels and resorts under the control of your sons and daughter so you avoid the emoluments clause?

[sanni]

When Rep. Waxman retired I was sad. He had done such a masterful job holding feet to the fire. Now the next generation has taken over - and they seem to fill his shoes so very well!

[citizentompaine]

I love the smell of oversight in the morning!