Here We Go – Impeachment Chairman Jerry Nadler Sends Demand Letter to AAG Matt Whitaker…
"The House Judiciary Committee is the lead committee on the constitutional process to evoke articles of impeachment. Jerry Nadler is the committee Chairman. Speaker Pelosi previously created specific rules for the House in a well planned construct to empower three committee heads (Cummings, Schiff and Nadler) toward a narrow path.
Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings is leading off on Thursday February 7th, 2019, with testimony from Trump’s former legal counsel Michael Cohen. It should be noted Mr. Cohen is being represented at the committee hearing by DNC operative Lanny Davis. However, Mr. Lanny Davis is not being paid by Mr. Cohen; he is being paid by democrat groups supporting the ‘resistance’ strategy.
The very next day, Friday February 8th, Nadler has scheduled the DOJ to appear for his first round approach in the legislative trident. This is all being done by a well-crafted design. Toward that end, today Chairman Jerry Nadler sends an anticipatory demand letter (full pdf below) to Acting AG Matthew Whitaker telling him the committee will not respect any claims of executive privilege between the DOJ and the White House.
Washington, D.C. –Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker outlining a list of prepared questions concerning communications between the Mr. Whitaker and President Trump in advance of the February 8th House Judiciary Committee hearing.
In the letter, Chairman Nadler makes clear that the Committee expects direct answers to their questions, and “will not accept your declining to answer any question on the theory that the President may want to invoke his privileges in the future.” The prepared questions cover issues related to Mr. Whitaker’s appointment by President Trump to replace Jeff Sessions following his firing, Mr. Whitaker’s decision not to recuse himself from the Special Counsel investigation, and his oversight over the Special Counsel investigation, and the nature of his relationship with the President. (press release)
The attack angle from the three-headed Cerberus (Cummings, Schiff and Nadler) becomes more clear as we review the demand questions from Nadler:
"The House Judiciary Committee is the lead committee on the constitutional process to evoke articles of impeachment. Jerry Nadler is the committee Chairman. Speaker Pelosi previously created specific rules for the House in a well planned construct to empower three committee heads (Cummings, Schiff and Nadler) toward a narrow path.
Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings is leading off on Thursday February 7th, 2019, with testimony from Trump’s former legal counsel Michael Cohen. It should be noted Mr. Cohen is being represented at the committee hearing by DNC operative Lanny Davis. However, Mr. Lanny Davis is not being paid by Mr. Cohen; he is being paid by democrat groups supporting the ‘resistance’ strategy.
The very next day, Friday February 8th, Nadler has scheduled the DOJ to appear for his first round approach in the legislative trident. This is all being done by a well-crafted design. Toward that end, today Chairman Jerry Nadler sends an anticipatory demand letter (full pdf below) to Acting AG Matthew Whitaker telling him the committee will not respect any claims of executive privilege between the DOJ and the White House.
Washington, D.C. –Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker outlining a list of prepared questions concerning communications between the Mr. Whitaker and President Trump in advance of the February 8th House Judiciary Committee hearing.
In the letter, Chairman Nadler makes clear that the Committee expects direct answers to their questions, and “will not accept your declining to answer any question on the theory that the President may want to invoke his privileges in the future.” The prepared questions cover issues related to Mr. Whitaker’s appointment by President Trump to replace Jeff Sessions following his firing, Mr. Whitaker’s decision not to recuse himself from the Special Counsel investigation, and his oversight over the Special Counsel investigation, and the nature of his relationship with the President. (press release)
The attack angle from the three-headed Cerberus (Cummings, Schiff and Nadler) becomes more clear as we review the demand questions from Nadler:
- President Trump fired former Attorney General Jeff Sessions November 7, 2018. On or before that date, did you have any communication with any White House official, including but not limited to President Trump, about the possibility of your appointment as Acting Attorney General? If so, when and with whom? Did any of those communications discuss the possibility of your recusal from oversight of the Special Counsel’s investigation?
- You announced your decision not to recuse yourself from the Special Counsel’s investigation on December 19, 2018. Did you consult with the White House about that decision, before or after it was announced? If so, with whom?
- My understanding is that you consulted with a four-person team of advisors for guidance on the question of your recusal. Who are these four individuals? Did any of them consult with the White House about your decision not recuse yourself from the Special Counsel’s investigation?
- Have you ever received a briefing on the status of the Special Counsel’s investigation? If so, have you communicated any information you learned in that briefing to any White House official, including but not limited to President Trump, or any member of President Trump’s private legal team?
- It has been reported that President Trump “lashed out” at you on at least two occasions: after Michael Cohen pleaded guilty on November 29, 2018, and after federal prosecutors identified President Trump as “Individual 1” in a court filing on December 8, 2018.[1]
- Did President Trump contact you after Michael Cohen pleaded guilty? What did he say? Did you take any action as a result of that conversation?
- Did President Trump contact you after he was identified as “Individual 1” in documents related to the criminal sentencing of Michael Cohen? What did he say? Did you take any action as a result of that conversation?
- In any of these conversations, did President Trump express concern, anger, or similar frustration with the actions of the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York?
- In any of these conversations, did President Trump discuss the possibility of firing or reassigning certain personnel who work for the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York?
- In any of these conversations, did the President discuss the recusal of Geoffrey Berman, the current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, from the Michael Cohen case and other matters related to the work of the Special Counsel?
- Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions tasked John Huber, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah, with reviewing a wide range of issues related to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Have you ever received a briefing on the status of Mr. Huber’s work? If so, have you communicated any information you learned in such a briefing to any White House official, including but not limited to President Trump, or any member of President Trump’s private legal team?
- On January 17, 2018, BuzzFeed News reported that federal prosecutors have evidence, in the form of witness interviews and internal communications, suggesting that President Trump had directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. On January 18, the Special Counsel issued a rare statement describing some aspects of the BuzzFeed story as inaccurate. Did you have any communication with the White House about the BuzzFeed report or the decision of the Special Counsel’s office to issue its subsequent statement? If so, with whom? What was discussed?
