The new legislative session of Congress begins tomorrow and incoming Democrats will be sworn in, taking back the House after winning it decisively in November's midterm elections.
Among them are Representatives Maxine Waters (CA), Adam Schiff (CA), Jerry Nadler (NY), Elijah Cummings, (MD) and Richard Neal (MA). These five individuals are also the ones with the power to subpoena the Trump administration.
Adam Parkhomenko, who served as National Field Director for the Democratic National Committee in 2016, tweeted a photo of the five legislators. Accompanying it was a caption which set social media aflame.
Subpoena power, indeed:
- Waters, poised to lead the House Financial Services Committee, has pledged to subpoena officials at financial regulatory agencies for information and testimony.
- Schiff will chair the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which will re-examine President Trump's relationship with Russian operatives.
- Nadler will chair the House Judiciary Committee. Immigration, voting rights, and Justice Department oversight would be under his jurisdiction.
- Cummings will chair the House Oversight Committee, which would supervise federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation.
- Neal will lead the House Ways and Means Committee, which would oversee tax policy and would have the authority to review the president's tax returns.
People were thrilled and view it as a sign of hope after two years of Republican leadership.
With Democrats ready to formally taken control of the House of Representatives, President Trump will find himself having to comply with investigations into members of his administration.
Cummings, in particular, has signaled he will launch probes into the Trump administration after taking office tomorrow.
“I want to look at all the things the president has done that go against the mandates of our Founding Fathers in the Constitution,” he said shortly after the midterms. “We need accountability, transparency, integrity, and honesty from this Administration.”
Cummings has wasted no time: His committee has already compiled a list of 64 subpoenas and inquiries into Trump administration activities that were denied when Republicans controlled the chamber. The budget for the Democrats will allow them to hire lawyers and investigators and fill key staffing positions.
The majority will have the power to issue subpoenas and demand records and testimony from administration officials. The majority will also have the power to request the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) turn over Trump’s tax returns, which he has made every effort to conceal from public view.
“I’m not looking for retribution, life is too short,” he said. While we are dealing with whatever may come in the storm of Trump, I have to keep in mind that there are people who have to live day to day.”
Immediately after the midterms, President Trump indicated that he would complicate matters for Democrats by launching counterinvestigations.
“Two can play that game!” he wrote.
We can already tell it's going to be a tumultuous week for the president.
