Joe Biden's Political Aphasia Finally Presents Itself
A Palestinian Unwrapped a US Aid Package. It Didn't Go Well.
Netanyahu to Biden: I'm Taking Rafah, Destroying Hamas, And You Can’t Do Anything...
Nation’s Largest Corporate Mega-Stores Lobbying for Billions, Small Businesses & Consumers...
A Truth and Reality ‘Bloodbath’
CAIR Says Biden Will Lose, 'Allah Willing'
Israel As 'A Pariah' Among the Nations
Trump Romps Among Battleground Catholics
Biden's Speech Was Not the Win the Political Class Thought It Was
The Smell of Mendacity
'Bloodbath' and Pure Evil
Pathway to Victory
The Cautionary Legal Tale of Roundup
FDNY Won't Investigate Those Who Booed Letitia James, But Don't Expect Love for...
Joe Biden Is Back to Pretending His Granddaughter Doesn't Exist
Tipsheet

Guess Which Republican Joined Dems in Demanding Trump Translator's Notes

Democrats in Congress demanded this week that Marina Gross, the translator in the room with President Trump and President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland on Monday, come to Washington and tell them what was discussed in the closed-door meeting. Republicans, even anti-Trump ones, are resisting the effort. When House Intelligence Democrats brought the subpoena to a vote, every Republican on the committee voted against it.

Advertisement

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) explained why subpoenaing the interpreter could set a dangerous precedent. It could be the "last time" the U.S. president ever meet privately with a foreign leader.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), one of Trump's most vocal Republican critics, had to agree.

"I know in this particular case, the person was a direct employee, but if we are going to start getting translator's notes, I think we are moving to a precedent that - unless some crime has been committed - is unprecedented and just not appropriate."

A group of former President Obama and President George W. Bush officials are also under the impression Gross does not need to be grilled on Capitol Hill.

“For the same reasons why we need to protect our own diplomats, there is a real concern about having translators be subject to subpoenas,” said David Mortlock, Obama's director of international economic affairs at the White House National Security Council.

Advertisement

One Republican, however, is siding with the Democrats in their call for Gross to at least turn over her notes. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) argued in a Senate floor speech that Trump's rendezvous with the enemy demands that Congress see what was discussed.

“I would hope that those notes — all interpreters take notes — would be turned over,” he said. “We need to know."

President Trump angered both Republicans and Democrats on Monday by seemingly taking Russia's side over the U.S. intelligence community when asked if Russia had meddled in our elections.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement