GOP votes to authorize subpoenas, depositions in Obama-era probe

[demmiblue]

Source: The Hill

Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted on Wednesday to greenlight subpoenas and depositions as part of an investigation into the FBI’s Russia probe and the Obama administration.

The 8-6 party line vote authorizes Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chairman of the committee, to issue a combination of subpoenas and set up closed-door depositions with approximately 40 individuals.

The votes come less than two months before the November election, injecting fresh acrimony into the Wednesday committee meeting where Johnson accused Democrats of a “coordinated spear” against his probes. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the top Democrat on the panel, accusing Republicans of a “partisan fishing expedition.”

“I’m disappointed that our committee is once again meeting to discuss the authorization of subpoenas instead … of the serious challenges forcing Americans,” Peters said. “Your won’t public comments … state that your desire to reinvestigate these matters demonstrates the alarming partisan nature of this investigation which is designed to influence the presidential election.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/516665-gop-votes-to-authorize-subpoenas-depositions-in-obama-era-probe

[Karadeniz]

1. Abuse of power.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. Yep. Well I wonder if I will get apologies for being

Oh wait. I cant say

[iluvtennis]

3. Why not a vote to investigate something real - the sterilization of immigrant women by ICE. nt

[niyad]

4. All those issued subpoenas should do as the drumpians do-ignore them.

[ScratchCat]

5. Good thing SCOTUS recently ruled

That congress has no enforcement power for subpoenas.

Also, I expect any subpoena to be challenged, which would take until next year to work its way through the courts. It doesn't seem likely that they can actually hold this because anyone subject to a subpoena will just fight it.

[Keth]

8. Yep.

Ignore the subpoenas or request for the hearings to be public and have those who were called to testify read from the recently released Senate Intel Report that shows the web of deceit between Russia and the Trump campaign folk. Play hard ball, Dems! Now is not the time to play nice.

[onetexan]

35. K&R!! Ignore the damn subpoenas that don't hold water & are a partisan smear attempt.

[FBaggins]

31. SCOTUS did no such thing

The DC Circuit ruled that Congress had not granted the courts the power to enforce a congressional subpoena. They didn't rule that Congress had no power to issue them or use some other enforcement mechanism.

[Retrograde]

6. They should treat any subpoenas like the GOP does

i.e., decline to show up

[liberalgunwilltravel]

7. Don't show

The Republicans in this Congress have already demonstrated that responding to subpoenas is optional. However, Ron Johnson, when this is over, you're going to prison for being an unregistered foreign agent undermining the sovereignty of the United States.

[onetexan]

36. This!!! Lock him up!! Johnson's a disgrace, along w/ the rest of them.

[hibbing]

9. Can do they go back and do Carter next? n/t

[Bayard]

10. I don't think Dems should ignore them

That shows they're no different from rethuglicans.

I do think they should ask a judge to delay them until after the election, since it would unfairly prejudice it. Especially if they are going to try to drag in our candidate.

This is so obviously a fishing expedition to help trump.

[not_the_one]

24. They should initially ignore them.

They need to be slapped in the face with the fact that once THEY set precedent, BOTH sides can use it. And will. If we don't make THAT point, they have won on this issue.

THEN we can voluntarily comply, because we have PROVEN, thanks to THEM. that we don't have to if we don't WANT to. Just MAKE us.

Neener, neener, neener.

NO smiley inferred.

[Bayard]

26. Dems follow the rule of law

Unlike rethugs. That's the point to be made. Say, we are perfectly happy to comply once the election is over.

[CrispyQ]

11. They are ratfuckers of the highest order.

[Botany]

12. Hillary Clinton's emails 2.0

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Russia), that mother fucker is passing on Putin talking points.

How many of those Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security Committee
went to Russia in July of 2018 or took Russian money in 2016?

[suegeo]

18. List of the 7 comrades

The congressmen who went to Russia on July 4 are:

[link:http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/seven-gop-lawmakers-make-misguided-trip-russia|]

In addition to Shelby, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee and has limited foreign policy responsibilities, the official congressional delegation featured Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), and Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas).

Johnson is spewing Russian propaganda.
Thune is a mobbed up Nazi from the mobbed up state of South Dakota, where Maria Butina was working with the NRA. Her "boyfriend" was some scummy dipshit GOPee ratfucker.

[BlueIdaho]

13. All this based on info provided by two identified Russian agents?

Ignore the subpoenas, life moves on.

[Marcuse]

14. They can subpoena the Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

[Ponietz]

15. Every day there are signs the scum won't leave peacefully

[AllaN01Bear]

16. yet another waste of taxpayer dollars . endless hearings .

[Gothmog]

17. Gloves Off: Mitt Slams RonJohn Ukraine Probe Comments As Illegitimate 'Political Exercise'

Link to tweet

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) slammed a Senate GOP probe into Joe Biden as a waste of taxpayer resources and a “political exercise” unfit for Congress on Wednesday.

Romney’s comment’s came one day after Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee chair Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) told a Wisconsin radio station that “what our investigations are uncovering, I think, will reveal this is not somebody we should be electing president of the United States.”

Romney derided Johnson’s Ukraine investigation as having, “from the outset, had the earmarks of a political exercise, and I’m fearful that comments made in the media recently have only confirmed that perspective.”

“It’s the province of campaigns and political parties, opposition research, the media, to carry out political endeavors to learn about or dust up one’s opponent,” Romney added, in comments made directly to Johnson. “But it’s not the legitimate role of government, for Congress or for taxpayer expense, to be used as an effort to damage political opponents.”

[suegeo]

19. Then why the fuck did Romney vote for it?

Romney's on the committee and all of the fascist party members of the committee voted yes for it!

Kamala Harris is on the committee, which as Biden's running mate, she'd be hearing what's going on with the hearings/propaganda generator.

For what it's worth, the nazis on the committee are:
Dipshit Ron Johnson
Rob Portman
Asshole with his own Russia connections Rand Paul
James Lankford
Mitt Romney
Rick Scott (jesus wept)
Mike Enzi
Josh Hawley

[rockfordfile]

20. Ron Johnson is a scumbag

[bluestarone]

21. RETHUGS GOAL?

Simply destroy our court system!! That's what this whole election is about.

[C Moon]

22. They must have found enough money to pay for someone to lie.

At least through November.
I smell the rotted stench of Putin’s greasy hands at work here, for an October surprise.

[Firestorm49]

23. Give them a dose of their own medicine. IGNORE THE SUBPOENAS!

[alwaysinasnit]

29. +1000

[sinkingfeeling]

25. Hope they're all ignored until January.

[rickyhall]

27. If they are for Democrats ignore them like Trump's people did.

[alwaysinasnit]

28. +1000

[jorgevlorgan]

30. They should comply

Under the condition Trump release his tax return under the order of a subpoena. Until that is done, they should blow it off just like Trump did with his returns.

[LudwigPastorius]

33. Let them call whoever they want to testify.

They've got nothing, and they'll find nothing, because there is nothing there.

"Obamagate" is the new Benghazi!™.

Maybe they can roll old Trey "Cletus" Gowdy out of mothballs to emcee the show.

[Captain Zero]

34. If any Democrats are subpoenaed, they ought to just not show up. Republicans don't in the House.

nt