Congressional Oversight

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The U.S. Supreme Court at night.

With Supreme Court Mired in Dark Money, Time for Large Dose of Transparency

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse writes that there is a dual problem with the Supreme Court: not only the web of special-interest, secret donor influence surrounding it; but an extraordinary…
Trump outside the White House on April 12, 2018.

Understanding the Two Mazars Subpoena Cases Before the Supreme Court [UPDATED to reflect 11/25 stay of mandate]

Two cases currently before the Supreme Court involve whether the Constitution prohibits subpoenas issued to Donald Trump’s accounting firm, Mazars USA, LLP, requiring Mazars…
Ranking member Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) questions National Security Council Director for European Affairs Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams, adviser to Vice President Mike Pence for European and Russian affairs during testimony before the House Intelligence Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill November 19, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Trump and GOP Call to ID Whistleblower Exposes Glaring Gaps in Protections

There are punishments for disclosing a whistleblower's identity in such a case. But the entire system is a patchwork of laws that needs to be rethought.
Laura Cooper, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia arrives for a closed-door deposition at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on October 30, 2019.

Executive Privilege is No Bar to Testimony Before Impeachment Investigators

Impeachment is different from regular congressional oversight. Witnesses summoned to appear before the House Intelligence Committee should not view executive privilege as standing…
Side by side photographs of Pat Cipollone, Fiona Hill, and George Kent.

Why Officials Keep Testifying Despite White House Counsel’s Letter on Impeachment Inquiry

"These are presumably not the results White House Counsel Cipollone expected when he sent his letter, but in retrospect they seem fairly predictable."
House Republicans gather to speak at a press conference organized by Rep. Matt Gaetz, (R-FL), on Capitol Hill on October 23, 2019 in Washington, DC.

GOP “Storming” of Secure Facility for Impeachment Proceedings: An Explainer

How does a "SCIF" work, and can members of Congress be penalized for their en masse protest of testimony in the House impeachment investigation?
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch is surrounded by lawyers, aides and journalists as she arrives at the U.S. Capitol October 11, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Career U.S. Officials Testifying to Congress: A Guide from Co-Equal

For over 100 years, federal statutes have protected the right of federal employees to communicate with Congress. Career employees across agencies and positions have routinely provided…
Air Force Reserve Capt. Matthew Lee Stanley prepares to have a blood sample taken by Air Force Sgt. Tracey Harris on June 3, 2003 at Barksdale Air Force Base.

Whistleblowing in Washington: Lessons Learned and Unlearned

A compelling first-hand account illustrates the institutional headwinds facing whistleblowers. To create the space they need to help increase accountability in government will…
The dome of the U.S. Capitol Buidling and the US flag.

The Need for a Bipartisan Stand Against the White House Counsel Letter 

Former general counsel to Sen. Marco Rubio and senior Republican counsel on Senate Judiciary Committee writes about impeachment inquiry.
A newspaper illustration of the vote on the Impeachment of President Johnson in 1868.

White House Letter Distorts Both Law and History on Impeachment

Leading historian on impeachment heavily criticizes White House Counsel's representation of cases and historical practice.
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, and Principal Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley listen during a Rose Garden event at the White House May 7, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Two Major Distortions in the White House’s Scorched Earth Letter to Congress

White House Counsel Cipollone's letter to Congress is a profoundly troubling document with a political purpose: stonewalling Congress while trying to muddy the waters with pretextual…
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

A Formal Vote to Authorize Impeachment Won’t Fix White House Obstruction — And Could Create More Roadblocks

A full vote by the House to support the ongoing impeachment inquiry could end up creating more roadblocks for Congress.
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