The highest-ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), is complaining that attempts to investigate Trump’s crimes and corruptions are in violation of the Constitution. But experts say he’s full of it.
The committee, chaired by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), recently issued a large document request to more than 80 different individuals and entities to investigate Trump and his administration for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and corruption.
Collins, who leads the minority on the committee, sent Nadler a letter in which Collins whined about the “sprawling investigation.”
The Republican described the investigation as “astounding” and “alarming,” and called into question the “constitutional insufficiency of this exercise.”
As part of his defense of Trump, Collins also cited constitutional oversight expert Morton Rosenberg, who has written that “the Supreme Court has held that the First Amendment restricts Congress in conducting investigations.”
But CNN reached out to Rosenberg and he told them that Nadler’s actions do not conflict with the Constitution, invalidating Collins’ hysterical response.
“All they’re doing is making an invitation with these letters — an invitation to cooperate,” Rosenberg said. He then said Collins is “exaggerating what’s going on here” and that there is “no constitutional problem” with Nadler’s investigation.
Collins’ over-the-top response is the latest salvo from Republicans in Congress as they continue to defend Trump, no matter what.
The members are taking their cues from Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who said he doesn’t believe Trump did anything wrong when he paid hush money to cover up his extramarital affair.
However, congressional Republicans had no problem with investigations into presidential conduct and policy when President Barack Obama was in office.
In fact, the same House Judiciary Committee was one of many Republican-led committees that investigated the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. Those investigations were part of a fruitless attempt to blame President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the deaths that occurred.
Just last year, when Republicans were still in charge of the Judiciary Committee, they were stillinvestigating Hillary Clinton’s email server.
With Trump in the White House, Republicans chose to ignore all the evidence of corruption and crimes that has emerged. Then, in the 2018 midterm election, voters punished the party for being Trump’s co-conspirators and put Democrats in charge.
Now that Democrats have begun catching up on Trump, his Republican allies, like Collins, are suddenly trying to cry foul.
Published with permission of The American Independent.
