House Subpoenas DHS Over Trump’s Alleged Promise Of Border Wall Pardons

President Donald Trump exits Air Force One on arrival at Naval Air Facility El Centro, in El Centro, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)on plane:Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.,Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif.,Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.,Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif.,Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn.,Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif.,Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenanArmy Corp. of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite President Donald Trump leaves the airport in El Centro, Calif., en route to Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump arrives at U.S. Border Patrol Calexico Station in Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump participates in a roundtable on immigration and border security at the U.S. Border Patrol Calexico Station in Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump leaves U.S. Border Patrol Calexico Station en route to the Border Wall, in Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump arrives at the Border Wall in Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump visits the Border Wall in Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump leaves Calexico, Calif., en route to El Centro, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump arrives at Naval Air Facility El Centro in El Centro, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)President Donald Trump leaves El Centro, Calif., en route to Los Angeles, Friday April 5, 2019.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump arrives at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump departs Los Angeles International Airport en route to the Santa Monica Airport Landing Zone, in Santa Monica, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)President Donald Trump arrives at Santa Monica Airport Landing Zone in Santa Monica, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump leaves the Santa Monica Airport Landing Zone en route to a private residence for a fundraise, Santa Monica, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump arrives at a private residence in Beverly Hills, Calif., to meet with supporters during a fundraiser, Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump attends a roundtable with supporters in Beverly Hills, Calif., during a fundraiser, Friday April 5, 2019.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump speaks during a joint fundraising dinner in Beverly Hills, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump leaves a private residence in Beverly Hills, Calif., en route to Santa Monica Airport Landing Zone, Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump arrives at Santa Monica Airport Landing Zone, in Santa Monica, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump waves as he exits Air Force One on arrival in Los Angeles Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump leaves Los Angeles en route to Las Vegas Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)President Donald Trump arrives at his hotel in Las Vegas Friday April 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Donald Trump visits a new section of the border wall with Mexico in Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. Gloria Chavez with the U.S. Border Patrol, center, and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielse... President Donald Trump visits a new section of the border wall with Mexico in Calexico, Calif., Friday April 5, 2019. Gloria Chavez with the U.S. Border Patrol, center, and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen listen. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The House Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas on Wednesday for records regarding President Donald Trump’s alleged offer of pardons to Homeland Security officials who violate the law in a pre-election mad-dash to build his beloved border wall.

With his promised border wall nowhere near complete, Trump has reportedly been pushing hard for any kind of progress on the ground to buttress his re-election campaign. That reportedly includes musing about pardoning officials who break the law to get the slapdash job done. The President has also reportedly offered pardons directly to officials who he has ordered to continue with border wall construction.

The new subpoenas seek documents and communications from the Department of Homeland Security about any potential pardons for agency employees either for building the wall or for immigration enforcement.

The House panel is also demanding information about two meetings between Trump and Homeland Security officials in which he allegedly brought up pardons: a March 21 meeting between Trump and then-DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and an April 5 encounter between the President and Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan. The panel is demanding notes or other accounts from both meetings.

House Judiciary is also seeking copies of any legal opinions or documents relating to the “legal obligations” of DHS employees in building the wall.

In a statement, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) said that Trump’s “dangling of pardons” constitutes “another reported example of the President’s disregard for the rule of law.”

Nadler’s panel authorized the subpoenas on July 11.

The House Judiciary chair framed the subpoenas as part of his ongoing probe into whether his committee should recommend Trump’s impeachment. That investigation has come to encompass a swath of other alleged misconduct, including the allegations of obstruction of justice detailed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

“As the Committee continues its investigation into whether to recommend articles of impeachment, it is imperative that we are able to obtain information about ongoing presidential misconduct and abuses of power,” Nadler said.

Nadler added that his committee plans on holding hearings on the matter throughout the fall, as part of its bid to investigate “obstruction of justice, public corruption, and abuses of power by the President.”

Latest Muckraker

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for tpr tpr says:

    You remember that image of sad Mueller that said “please stop committing crimes so I can finish the investigation?”

    We’re gonna need one of those for Nadler. And Schiff. And Cummings.

  2. The ‘just kidding’ tweet will surface in a very short time to diffuse this.

    On the other hand, this may be my chance to see how well the ‘just kidding’ defense works in the House. Been wondering, because I might try it the next time I’m faced with a subpoena (LOL!!!).

  3. Telling people to break the law, and promises pardons if they get in trouble, is an impeachable offense. Pelosi should take this opportunity to invoke impeachment powers by the House – preferably appointing a select committee to examine all allegations – and issue new subpoenas citing impeachment power, filing for intervenor status or offering amicus briefs in current court cases, etc.

    Especially in terms of Nielsen and McAleenan, ONLY impeachment subpoenas will have any chance of overcoming executive privilege claims.

    But I predict that once again, Pelosi will put her own personal agenda before the nations, and sit on her hands while Trump shits on the constitution and rule of law…

  4. Finally used the ignore feature. I like it.

  5. I don’t think you have to worry about this ever getting to Pelosi’s desk, honestly. One of his staff will do the ‘just kidding’ tweet later today or overnight, which diffuses the whole situation. It just isn’t going to be an issue.

    Now once he starts actually ISSUING the pardons, well, then yeah…

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

46 more replies

Participants

Avatar for discobot Avatar for epicurus Avatar for squirreltown Avatar for becca656 Avatar for hccarey Avatar for drriddle Avatar for joelopines Avatar for jkrogman Avatar for moreyampersand Avatar for vlharpley Avatar for slimjim33 Avatar for georgeh Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for brian512 Avatar for tpr Avatar for katscherger Avatar for carolson Avatar for outis Avatar for jeffreykdavis Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for paul_lukasiak Avatar for gargoyle Avatar for haddockbranzini Avatar for samuraiwalt

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: