When will Democrats learn how to deal with Republicans? When will they stop bringing knives to gunfights? When will they fight fire with fire?
We are in the middle of a constitutional crisis. We have a lawless president, and administration, that keeps giving the bird to our Constitution and system of government. And what do Dems do? Play nicy nice. We have cabinet members thumbing their noses at lawful subpoenas and Dems just keep writing cordial letters and asking for compliance.
Yes, issuing contempt citations is all fine and good … but who will enforce them? Our compromised Justice Department?
Former Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich) made a great suggestion recently, arguing against fruitless efforts to get this administration to enforce contempt citations … jail the lawbreakers! While not used since 1935, Congress has the constitutional authority (inherent contempt power) to detain and imprison a person found in contempt until that person complies with the congressional demand or that Congress comes to an end.
“To protect its constitutional authority and carry out its constitutional responsibility to the American people, it should not hesitate to use its inherent contempt power if needed,” said Levin.
The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin agrees with Levin. She argues for the Dems to start employing their “lock them up” power.
“One can imagine the chaos that might ensue from an effort to put … Cabinet officials behind bars, but it does seem time for the House to take some measure(s) at least as dramatic as Trump and his Republican sycophants’ blatant, repeated violations of the rule of law,” writes Rubin in yesterday’s Post.
Rubin goes on to give Dems a list of actions they should consider in dealing with the criminal syndicate now running this country:
“Pursue crushing civil fines against recalcitrant witnesses, impeach Mnuchin and Barr, seek sanctions to punish lawyers for ethics violations and, yes, if need be, try to lock them up. Perhaps if Democrats start wielding their power, some Republicans (just a few) will recognize the gravity of the situation they have created and head off the administration before a true constitutional calamity ensues.”
Jennifer Rubin, a conservative columnist, is spot on. It’s past time for Dems to grow a pair and steal a page from the Republicans’ book of hardball.
“Lock em’ up! Lock em’ up! Lock em’ up!
Photo | cnbc.com
