General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCongress has the power to compel public testimony!
Neither Hope Hicks, nor any other potential Congressional witness, has veto power over hearing procedures, including whether or not the hearing will be conducted in public.
Each chamber of Congress has exclusive authority to determine and construe its own internal procedural rules (U.S. CONST., Art. I, § 5, cl. 2). This authority includes the discretion to apply, construe, and/or waive procedural requirements governing the conduct of congressional investigations. See AFL-CIO v. U.S., 330 F.3d 513, 522 (D.C. Cir. 2003) (explaining that Congress has broad discretion to conduct investigative proceedings and to decide what aspects of such proceedings are to be made public). Congressional committees definitely have the ability to issue testimonial subpoenas requiring individuals to appear at public hearings.
The private nature of Hicks' testimony would almost completely obliterate the power of the testimony to affect public opinion. Look....are the masses who did not read the Mueller report going to read tons of pages of Hicks' testimony? No! We need this to be dramatized in the living rooms of America to move the impeachment needle!This would be no better than the Mueller report.....most of what she is going to say is already in the Mueller report that 99% of the public has not read!
If this does not change, then her testimony would harm Trump no more than the Mueller report has.....meaning that it would not harm Trump's standing enough to get the masses behind impeachment. If it's private, it will be a disaster relative to moving the impeachment needle!
Why are the Democrats allowing her to dictate whether the testimony is public or private? If she were subpoenaed, she would have to show up and testify, irrespective of whether it would be televised or not. A person subpoenaed cannot say to a federal judge "It's okay to ignore the subpoena because the hearing will be televised. The fact that it is televised nullifies the power of Congress to enforce the subpoena."
This seems like a needless cave!
procon
(15,805 posts)Dems position. They should have compelled her to speak under oath in public testimony. Let Trump object. Let Barr act like Trump's private attorney and try to stop her. That would open up another opportunity for every Dem in Congress to step up to the Mic and ask what is Trump trying to hide.
It's a championship chess match, but the Dems are playing checkers, and Republicans are playing marbles.
Grasswire2
(13,564 posts)There is no advantage in being deferential when fighting mobbed up street bullies who are fighting to the death of their grasp on power.
Nevermypresident
(781 posts)Proud Liberal Dem
(24,355 posts)tableturner
(1,676 posts)Grasswire2
(13,564 posts)...and it's all over social media and cable TV.
Time for leadership to pay attention to polling and to the pubic outcry.