‘Presidential Immunity Is Over’: Dems Will Subpoena AG Matt Whitaker If He Refuses To Testify

Last updated on January 9th, 2019 at 11:38 am

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The days of the House of Representatives protecting Donald Trump are over, says Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, a member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee.

In an interview with MSNBC‘s Chris Hayes on Monday, Swalwell said that Democrats plan to subpoena Trump‘s attorney general Matthew Whitaker to make sure he isn’t rigging or undercutting the Mueller investigation in order to protect the president.

“He cannot hide from our committee as he would have been able to if Democrats had not won Congress,” the Democratic lawmaker said. “We will subpoena him.”

That subpoena will be upheld in courts, and he’s going to have to defend his investigation and whether or not he’s made any promises to President Trump,” Swalwell added.

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Rep. Swalwell said:

He cannot hide from our committee as he would have been able to if Democrats had not won Congress. Presidential immunity is over, Chris. We will subpoena him. That subpoena will be upheld in courts, and he’s going to have to defend his investigation and whether or not he’s made any promises to President Trump. We would rather see that done voluntarily. This is the United States. It shouldn’t be adversarial for the people’s attorney general to come to Congress and tell the American people what his priorities are and whether he can uphold a lawful investigation.

Democrats are ready to take on Trump

The reason Donald Trump chose Matthew Whitaker to be the acting attorney general is that he believed Whitaker would do his bidding. After all, before replacing Jeff Session as the AG, Whitaker had publicly cast doubt over the Mueller investigation.

With Republicans in control of Congress at the time of his appointment, Trump knew they would happily look the other way as he elevated Whitaker to the attorney general post.

But the floor has shifted quickly beneath Trump. His days of using the Department of Justice as his personal puppet are over. Democrats have subpoena power and they aren’t afraid to use it when necessary.

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Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.