House panel approves subpoena power for investigators
The House Oversight Committee on Thursday approved a move to grant subpoena power to its investigators, a contentious issue that has been fiercely debated for weeks.
By a 25-21 vote, the committee handed Democratic Chairman Rep. Gerry Connolly (Va.) a major victory in the fight for transparency and subpoena authority. The panel rejected a GOP-led amendment aimed at limiting the scope of the subpoenas, known as “Title III of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendments Act.”
Connolly maintained that the power is vital for his investigators to investigate the Trump administration’s behavior, including potential wrongdoing connected to the former president, his allies, and appointees.
“I’m the chairman of the Oversight Committee, and it’s been my duty to hold folks accountable, regardless of what party they’re from or what branch they’re part of,” Connolly emphasized during the meeting. He also argued that the previous administration had made “constant attempts to impede Congress’s oversight functions.”
Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the ranking minority member of the Intelligence Community, stated, “Every single committee needs to review the scope and reach before issuing a subpoena.”
Critics argued that the granted power would “allow politics to creep into the investigating process,” allowing committee leadership to wield an excessive measure of authority over the members.
Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ken.) criticized the proposal. “The last thing anyone wants is to create political enemies by targeting their opponent’s administration, rather than focusing on accountability and rooting out waste and corruption”
The full House must pass the resolution, and in the meantime, it provides a major blow to potential attempts by Republicans to derail the inquiry, with just a week before the Committee’s investigation concludes. This move by the committee follows a heated discussion and confrontation between members and Chairman, with both parties emphasizing national security and oversight. As the inquiry is nearing closure, this significant decision serves as a precursor to addressing the consequences and next moves for the investigating committee’s findings.
