House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) revealed on Friday that the House is considering revisiting its "inherent contempt" powers that would allow it to fine members of the Trump administration who fail to answer its subpoenas.
That really doesn't necessarily change in an impeachment proceeding where they can fight us likewise but there is another remedy that I think we really need to consider that maybe even quicker than an impeachment proceeding or the court proceeding and that is reviving Congress' inherent power of contempt, something we utilize up until the 1930s where we in effect do our own judicial proceeding in the Congress, have a little mini-trial in the Congress and hold people in contempt and responsible and compel their production without even going to court. Now, it used to be we imprisoned people but we could also fine them $25,000 a day until they comply or some other number. That may be an even swifter remedy if we need to embark on it and we may have to. (RealClearPolitics)
According to Axios, Schiff said those fines could be as much as $25,000 a day.
The House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt on Wednesday, following his no-show at last week's hearing, and his refusal to provide the full, unredacted Robert Mueller report. Barr and his allies have tried to explain that his releasing the entire document would require him to break the law. Still, Democrats have persisted.
Democrats other than Schiff have uttered the words "inherent contempt" as the best course to take until the administration complies.
Hey @realDonaldTrump & @TheJusticeDept, even John Yoo believes your legal arguments are stupid. And he's the guy that thinks @POTUS can authorize the torture of kids.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 8, 2019
Go ahead, make us go to court, or exercise our inherent contempt powers. I dare you.#WednesdayMotivation https://t.co/Fo7s6TVwsE
Former Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) wrote a whole piece about how Congress should take advantage of the authority.
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) had the chance to respond in real time to Schiff's new threat and chalked it up to the Democrats' now two-year Russian collusion goose chase.
"They’ve been chasing Russian ghosts in the closet," Nunes declared on Fox News. "They always end up in a rabbit hole."