Ever since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dropped the news that the House Intelligence Committee would be moving forward with a formal impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump as a result of his attempted bribery and extortion of Ukraine, Trump has been fighting tooth and nail to throw a wrench in the process. And while he’s pulled many a tactic out of his hat since this whole thing hit the fan, his number one strategy seems to be making sure (or at least trying to) that no one can or will appear before the committee and testify under oath on his transgression.
Now, obviously, that hasn’t entirely worked out for him, as we’ve just completed several rounds of public impeachment inquiry hearings over the last couple of weeks. However, he did get lucky with a few of his staunchest sycophants who he was able to convince that his word was final against that of Congress’.
Or, at least, he thought he did.
According to an explosive report from the Washington Post, Donald won’t be so lucky after all when it comes to at least one of his comrades.
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U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of Washington ruled today that former Trump White House counsel Donald McGahn must comply with the subpoena issued to him by the House Committee — meaning he is required to hand over any documentation requested and could soon find himself on the witness stand whether he, or Donald Trump, like it or not.
Jackson determined that the White House’s claim that McGhan is “absolutely immune from compelled congressional testimony” had no basis and would only set a precedent “for a historic separation-of-powers confrontation between the government’s executive and legislative branches,” per the Post.
“[T]he Court holds only that [McGahn] (and other senior presidential advisors) do not have absolute immunity from compelled congressional process in the context of this particular subpoena dispute,” the federal judge wrote, citing similar ruling by a Republican-appointed judge back in 2008, involving former George W. Bush counsel Harriet Miers. “Donald McGahn must appear before the Committee to provide testimony, and invoke executive privilege where appropriate.”
The lawsuit filed against Trump’s former attorney was the first of its kind filed by the Democrats when they took control of the House this year.
William A. Burck, McGahn’s attorney, has responded to the ruling, stating, “Don McGahn will comply with Judge Jackson’s decision unless it is stayed pending appeal. DOJ is handling this case, so you will need to ask them whether they intend to seek a stay.”
This is quite the gut-punch to Donald’s attempt at exerting powers of the executive branch. I can only imagine we’ll be hearing all about how Donald “doesn’t really know the guy” in a short matter of time.
Featured image via Political Tribune gallery
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