That was fast.
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), announced that they’re launching an “immediate investigation” into the national emergency declaration Trump made on Friday, which was intended to allow him to go over Congress’ head and raid money from other areas of the federal government to fund his needless border wall.
“We believe your declaration of an emergency shows a reckless disregard for the separation of powers and your own responsibilities under our constitutional system,” Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee wrote in a letter to Trump on Friday afternoon.
In the letter, committee members laid out their position for why a national emergency declaration is not only unwarranted but also illegal, based in part on the “series of misleading statements” Trump made during his bizarre and at times incoherent announcement on Friday.
“The fact that you would use an emergency declaration only after years of failing to obtain congressional approval for construction of your wall further indicates that there is no true emergency at present,” committee members wrote in the letter.
The Judiciary Committee Democrats presented eight questions they are demanding that the White House and Department of Justice answer as part of this investigation.
These questions include whether the Trump administration sought the advice of the Office of Legal Counsel in determining whether it could issue an emergency declaration, and if so what advice the OLC gave.
The Democrats also want to see the “legal basis” that there really is an “emergency” at the southern border, as well as any communications the White House may have had with other administration officials regarding areas that Trump could draw funding from for the wall.
Given how fast Democrats announced their probe into this needless emergency declaration, it’s no wonder Trump has been so scared of governing with a Democratic-led House.
Published with permission of The American Independent.
