Discussion: Mnuchin Blows Off Response To Trump Tax Return Request To May 6

Trump is functionally above the law unless or until Congress takes real action.

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Hold Mnuchin in contempt. Lock him up.

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the republican stress test of the government will destroy it

once you destroy the norms, nobody needs to follow them

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Someone tell me: What can Congress do to enforce itā€™s demands? Who enforces congressional subpoenas? If someone is held in contempt of congress and they simply ignore the finding, who enforces the penalty? Can Trump simply say, ā€˜fuck youā€™ to Congress and not be compelled to comply?

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Okay, so this is a line in the sand. Neal better not blink, just go ahead with the subpoena now. Donā€™t let the munchkin kick the can down the road.

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Nada.

Your friendly DOJā€¦

Look, the DOJ again!

As long as 5 dudes in black robes are okay with itā€¦

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Time for a subpoena carpet bomb on the Oval Trailer, Justice, Treasury, etc. etc. etc.

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In a 10-page letter sent minutes after the Trump Administration blew a 5 p.m. deadline set by Ways and Means chair Rep. Richard Nealā€¦

Shorter Mnuchin:

lol, imma think about it for 2 more weeks. k? #totallynotstalling #dontsubpoenamebro

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Ah this was my concern. The DoJ is responsible for enforcing congressā€™ demands and Trump tells his tame AG to ignore them. Then it goes to SCOTUS and the vile 5 say, ā€˜Congress, who?ā€™. This is quite disturbing.

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Thatā€™s why a few of us get a lot of crap from folks that everything is going to work out fineā€¦ All roads lead to the Supremes, and theyā€™ve shown no interest in restraining him at all. And everything short of them, he has direct control over.

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Feature or bug?

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Should have sent it to begin with!

(Yes, I realize you disagree, but we may never know. Some things are unknowable!)

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This is such a BS argumentā€¦the law clearly states any taxpayer, with no limitsā€¦they are attempting to create limits on a clear Congressional statute, which is not how our system works. Itā€™s how Republicans want it to work though, they want an imperial presidency (unless they donā€™t hold it of course). If this goes to the Supreme Court and they back it up, then the rails really are coming off, because there is no legal argument to be made for ignoring the law.

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And send Maxine Waters after him!

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So then all this ā€œlock them upā€ is just fantasy. Good to know. I would say that I canā€™t wait for the Democrats to pull this crap, but of course we all know that will never happen.

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Indeed, this is my concern. All the arguments about clear constitutional duties, explicitly stated laws and the rest are of no importance if trumpers can simply refuse to cooperate and there is no mechanism to coerce them. The rethuglicans have been quite effective at gaining control of the levers of power. Theyā€™ve stacked the lower courts and SCOTUS. The census question will help with their plan to base redistricting on citizens only (at least in red states) and further entrech their power. I am disturbed, angry and a little frightened.

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Seriously, if itā€™s Contempt of Congress send a marshal to his house or to his office and put him in jail until he complies. quit dicking around.

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But if itā€™s up to the DOJ to send a marshall, well, then ā€¦ none of this matters apparently.

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We are Republicans. Like male dogs, we do stuff because we can.

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