U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board Congressional Budget Justification FY 2020: “Over the last year, the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB or Board) has worked to improve the effectiveness and long-term impact of its missions function in response to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memorandum M-17-22, “Comprehensive Plan for Reforming the Federal Government… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
The Limits of Executive Privilege
POGO – “In light of the House Judiciary Committee’s important hearing today on executive privilege and Congressional oversight, we have excerpted portions of When Congress Comes Calling, The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight’s study on legislative inquiry. The author of When Congress Comes Calling, Morton Rosenberg, served for over 35 years at… Continue Reading
Office of Government Ethics releases Trump’s 2018 financial disclosure
Axios – The Office of Government Ethics has released President Trump’s 2018 financial disclosure form, shedding light into how much money he made in the second full year of his presidency. [the full text document is embedded in this article] “Quick take: Income at Trump’s D.C. golf club was up $500,000 to about $13.3 million,… Continue Reading
10 Ways for Congress to Respond to the Mueller Report
POGO – “Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election has been public for nearly three weeks. Since then, Members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle have debated the report’s findings, and there are many disturbing issues raised in it that Congress could… Continue Reading
Trump’s Lawyers Argue Congress Has Little Power To Investigate A Sitting President’s Personal Affairs
BuzzFeedNews – “As President Donald Trump fights investigations by the Democrat-controlled House on multiple fronts, a court hearing Tuesday highlighted his strategy to fend off inquiries into his personal business affairs. Trump so far is challenging congressional subpoenas for financial records — both personal and from the Trump Organization — in federal courts in Washington,… Continue Reading
United States Congress Creates AI Task Force
“Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, announced the creation of a Task Force on Artificial Intelligence chaired by Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL). “I am excited to Chair the Financial Services Committee’s Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and I thank Chairwoman Waters for her foresight in creating this important… Continue Reading
What Democrats Can Learn About Impeachment From the Civil War
The New York Times Opinion – Lesson One: Don’t let Trump take the initiative. By Jamelle Bouie “…I have been revisiting a few popular histories of the Civil War, both for personal interest and future work. It’s almost impossible to count all of the connections to make between that period, Reconstruction and present-day political life.… Continue Reading
Terrorism, Violent Extremism, and the Internet: Free Speech Considerations
EveryCRSReport.com – Terrorism, Violent Extremism, and the Internet: Free Speech Considerations, May 6, 2019 R45713: “Recent acts of terrorism and hate crimes have prompted a renewed focus on the possible links between internet content and offline violence. While some have focused on the role that social media companies play in moderating user-generated content, others have called… Continue Reading
CRS – Congressional Access to the President’s Federal Tax Returns
Congressional Access to the President’s Federal Tax Returns, CRS Legal Sidebar, updated May 7, 2019: “On April 3, 2019, the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee sent a letter to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service requesting the individual income tax returns of President Trump, income tax returns for various business entities… Continue Reading
Congress’s Contempt Power and the Enforcement of Congressional Subpoenas
CRS report – Congress’s Contempt Power and the Enforcement of Congressional Subpoenas: Law, History, Practice, and Procedure Todd Garvey Legislative Attorney, May 12, 2017. “Congress’s contempt power is the means by which Congress responds to certain acts that in its view obstruct the legislative process. Contempt may be used either to coerce compliance, to punish… Continue Reading
CRS – Impeachment and Removal
CRS report – Impeachment and Removal, Jared P. Cole, Legislative Attorney; Todd Garvey, Legislative Attorney. October 29, 2015. “The impeachment process provides a mechanism for removal of the President, Vice President, and other “civil Officers of the United States” found to have engaged in “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The Constitution places… Continue Reading
NY State Senate Passes Bill To Allow Release of Trump’s State Tax Returns
#NYSenate Bill S5072A was passed Wednesday allowing state officials to provide Congress with the state tax returns of President Trump, state and other federal elected officials (and) another bill passed curtailing the impact of Presidential pardons. HuffPo – “The TRUST Act, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman, would let the New York tax commissioner release… Continue Reading
