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PSA: The what and the how congress is allowed to investigate

Bugsy McGurk said:
There it is - the classic symptom of Trump cultism - repeating his “Russia, Russia, Russia” idiocy.

You have it bad.
Click to expand...
Actually, I have it fine. You're the one who has it bad.

If Trump or his progeny did wrong I'm fine with it being dealt with. But I want it to happen after Iran is successfully dealt with.
 
Halo said:
Actually, I have it fine. You're the one who has it bad.

If Trump or his progeny did wrong I'm fine with it being dealt with. But I want it to happen after Iran is successfully dealt with.
Click to expand...

In other words, never. Trump can never undo the damage he did with his insane Iran war.
 
Bugsy McGurk said:
In other words, never. Trump can never undo the damage he did with his insane Iran war.
Click to expand...
Asked and answered.

Trump can still prosecute the war with Iran.

But don't bomb the power or desalinization plants. Bomb the water pipes and power lines leaving the plants. You can bomb them for miles and miles. Bomb the roads and railroads over which supplies are transported. Do so in the mountain passes. Harder to fix and harder to go around. If...
www.politicaljack.com www.politicaljack.com
 
Halo said:
PROMPT: What is congress allowed to investigate and what is it generally prohibited from investigating?

Congress’s power to investigate is broad and implied under the Constitution, but it is not unlimited.
Congress.gov

Because the Supreme Court views investigation as an essential adjunct to lawmaking, Congress has wide latitude to gather facts, subpoena documents, and hold hearings. However, its authority is bounded by constitutional limits, individual rights, and the separation of powers.
Congress.gov+ 1

What Congress IS Allowed to Investigate​

To issue valid subpoenas or compel testimony, a congressional inquiry must serve a valid legislative purpose. Congress can investigate anything on which it could potentially pass laws, allocate funding, or exercise oversight.
Holland & Knight+ 1

  • Oversight of the Executive Branch: Examining how federal agencies execute laws, manage public funds, and enforce regulations.
    University of Denver

  • Informing Future Legislation: Gathering facts and expert testimony to determine whether new federal legislation is needed.
    Holland & Knight

  • Impeachment and Removal: Inquiring into allegations of treason, bribery, or high crimes and misdemeanors involving the President, Vice President, or federal civil officers.
    University of Denver

  • Internal Governance and Elections: Investigating the qualifications, contested election outcomes, or alleged misconduct of its own members.
  • Matters of National Interest: Examining widespread social, economic, or national security issues (such as financial systemic risk, public health responses, or foreign election interference) to evaluate federal policy.

What Congress IS Generally Prohibited From Investigating​

Congress’s investigative powers stop where lawmaking ends. The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that Congress cannot use its oversight authority as a substitute for law enforcement or judicial proceedings.

1. Inquiries Without a Valid Legislative Purpose​

Congress cannot investigate a matter purely out of curiosity or solely to expose individuals for the sake of public embarrassment. There must be a clear link between the investigation and a area where Congress could pass legislation.
Holland & Knight+ 1

2. Purely Private Affairs​

Congress is prohibited from prying into the private lives of citizens when no federal statutory or constitutional policy is involved. As the Supreme Court held in Kilbourn v. Thompson (1880) and Eastland v. United States Servicemen's Fund (1975), Congress does not possess a general law enforcement or detective power over private individuals.
University of Denver+ 1

3. Usurping Judicial or Executive Roles​

Under the separation of powers, Congress cannot conduct criminal prosecutions or issue judicial remedies.
Cornell University

  • No Law Enforcement: Congress cannot investigate someone solely to determine whether they committed a crime to prosecute them (that function belongs to the DOJ and judicial courts).
    Congress.gov

  • No Bills of Attainder: Congress cannot hold hearings designed to try, convict, or punish a specific individual.

4. Overreaching into Presidential Personal or Privileged Communications​

Under Trump v. Mazars (2020), when Congress subpoenas personal records of a sitting President (or immediate family members), courts apply a heightened standard:
  • The information sought must not be available elsewhere.
    Holland & Knight

  • The subpoena must be strictly tailored to a specific legislative necessity.
    Holland & Knight

  • Congress cannot use broad requests to bypass Executive Privilege over core military, diplomatic, or presidential deliberations.

Key Protections for Witnesses Before Congress​

When subpoenaed or questioned by a congressional committee, individuals retain core Constitutional protections:
Holland & Knight

  • Fifth Amendment Privilege: Witnesses can invoke the right against self-incrimination to refuse to answer questions that could subject them to criminal prosecution.
    Cornell University

  • First Amendment Rights: Congress cannot investigate an individual's private beliefs, political associations, or free speech unless there is a compelling, specific legislative justification.
    Cornell University

  • Due Process & Pertinence: Witnesses must be given clear notice regarding why the questions being asked are pertinent to the committee's authorized scope (Watkins v. United States, 1957).
    Cornell University
Click to expand...
So what purpose was served by the investigation of Hunter Biden? Jordan, Comer and Grassley have repeatedly abused their authority to investigate Biden and family....did you forget the breathless announcement that they had a recording of a phone call proving Joe and Hunter had received $5 million each from Burisma?
That as the one where they later admitted they didn't have a recording and had never heard such a recording and their source had been arrested for lying to the FBI about it.
 
Halo said:
Asked and answered.

Trump can still prosecute the war with Iran.

But don't bomb the power or desalinization plants. Bomb the water pipes and power lines leaving the plants. You can bomb them for miles and miles. Bomb the roads and railroads over which supplies are transported. Do so in the mountain passes. Harder to fix and harder to go around. If...
www.politicaljack.com www.politicaljack.com
Click to expand...

I did not ask a question there, much less was it previously asked and answered.

What I said stands unchallenged.
 
middleview said:
So what purpose was served by the investigation of Hunter Biden? Jordan, Comer and Grassley have repeatedly abused their authority to investigate Biden and family....did you forget the breathless announcement that they had a recording of a phone call proving Joe and Hunter had received $5 million each from Burisma?
That as the one where they later admitted they didn't have a recording and had never heard such a recording and their source had been arrested for lying to the FBI about it.
Click to expand...

It’s truly a hoot. The GOP does not really view Congress as a legislative body at all. They view it as an investigative body and have used it for investigations spanning every thing imaginable, as long as it was useful for their political ends. And now they whine when Trump faces oversight for his corruption and lawlessness.

They sure are a bunch of crybabies.
 
Halo said:
PROMPT: What is congress allowed to investigate and what is it generally prohibited from investigating?

Congress’s power to investigate is broad and implied under the Constitution, but it is not unlimited.
Congress.gov

Because the Supreme Court views investigation as an essential adjunct to lawmaking, Congress has wide latitude to gather facts, subpoena documents, and hold hearings. However, its authority is bounded by constitutional limits, individual rights, and the separation of powers.
Congress.gov+ 1

What Congress IS Allowed to Investigate​

To issue valid subpoenas or compel testimony, a congressional inquiry must serve a valid legislative purpose. Congress can investigate anything on which it could potentially pass laws, allocate funding, or exercise oversight.
Holland & Knight+ 1

  • Oversight of the Executive Branch: Examining how federal agencies execute laws, manage public funds, and enforce regulations.
    University of Denver

  • Informing Future Legislation: Gathering facts and expert testimony to determine whether new federal legislation is needed.
    Holland & Knight

  • Impeachment and Removal: Inquiring into allegations of treason, bribery, or high crimes and misdemeanors involving the President, Vice President, or federal civil officers.
    University of Denver

  • Internal Governance and Elections: Investigating the qualifications, contested election outcomes, or alleged misconduct of its own members.
  • Matters of National Interest: Examining widespread social, economic, or national security issues (such as financial systemic risk, public health responses, or foreign election interference) to evaluate federal policy.

What Congress IS Generally Prohibited From Investigating​

Congress’s investigative powers stop where lawmaking ends. The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that Congress cannot use its oversight authority as a substitute for law enforcement or judicial proceedings.

1. Inquiries Without a Valid Legislative Purpose​

Congress cannot investigate a matter purely out of curiosity or solely to expose individuals for the sake of public embarrassment. There must be a clear link between the investigation and a area where Congress could pass legislation.
Holland & Knight+ 1

2. Purely Private Affairs​

Congress is prohibited from prying into the private lives of citizens when no federal statutory or constitutional policy is involved. As the Supreme Court held in Kilbourn v. Thompson (1880) and Eastland v. United States Servicemen's Fund (1975), Congress does not possess a general law enforcement or detective power over private individuals.
University of Denver+ 1

3. Usurping Judicial or Executive Roles​

Under the separation of powers, Congress cannot conduct criminal prosecutions or issue judicial remedies.
Cornell University

  • No Law Enforcement: Congress cannot investigate someone solely to determine whether they committed a crime to prosecute them (that function belongs to the DOJ and judicial courts).
    Congress.gov

  • No Bills of Attainder: Congress cannot hold hearings designed to try, convict, or punish a specific individual.

4. Overreaching into Presidential Personal or Privileged Communications​

Under Trump v. Mazars (2020), when Congress subpoenas personal records of a sitting President (or immediate family members), courts apply a heightened standard:
  • The information sought must not be available elsewhere.
    Holland & Knight

  • The subpoena must be strictly tailored to a specific legislative necessity.
    Holland & Knight

  • Congress cannot use broad requests to bypass Executive Privilege over core military, diplomatic, or presidential deliberations.

Key Protections for Witnesses Before Congress​

When subpoenaed or questioned by a congressional committee, individuals retain core Constitutional protections:
Holland & Knight

  • Fifth Amendment Privilege: Witnesses can invoke the right against self-incrimination to refuse to answer questions that could subject them to criminal prosecution.
    Cornell University

  • First Amendment Rights: Congress cannot investigate an individual's private beliefs, political associations, or free speech unless there is a compelling, specific legislative justification.
    Cornell University

  • Due Process & Pertinence: Witnesses must be given clear notice regarding why the questions being asked are pertinent to the committee's authorized scope (Watkins v. United States, 1957).
    Cornell University
Click to expand...
congress likes hearings/investigations because senators appear on TV for free. its like an extended campaign rally. without consequences. they don't have to spend any of their own money, and they cant get sued for making up stuff durng the hearing. plus, nobody ever goes to jail. it's like a game show
 
middleview said:
So what purpose was served by the investigation of Hunter Biden? Jordan, Comer and Grassley have repeatedly abused their authority to investigate Biden and family....did you forget the breathless announcement that they had a recording of a phone call proving Joe and Hunter had received $5 million each from Burisma?
That as the one where they later admitted they didn't have a recording and had never heard such a recording and their source had been arrested for lying to the FBI about it.
Click to expand...

You have some valid points but you're a boring re-litigator. Time and again. And you delude yourself into thinking you've proved something. The thing is with Biden we heard him brag about getting someone fire who was allegedly targeted by a corrupt company having hired Junior. That is like actual impeachment evidence stuff. And note nothing happened to the principals. All I've heard is allegations to this point. Where is the actual evidence that is reasonably articulable as something subject to congressional investigation. That you can pull a case number for. If you do that, go for it.

P.S. I never heard about a recording.
 
as seen on tv said:
congress likes hearings/investigations because senators appear on TV for free. its like an extended campaign rally. without consequences. they don't have to spend any of their own money, and they cant get sued for making up stuff durng the hearing. plus, nobody ever goes to jail. it's like a game show
Click to expand...
Absolutely true. Nothing ever really happens. Especially when Republicans do it. They just can't get the kill shot. Either weakness or they adhere to the boundaries set on them.
 
Last edited:
Now the WH lawyers are begging dems to not go after Grandpa, everyone else is game you know. Grandpa may just resign and take his billions to the grave.
 
Halo said:
You talked about the Iran conflict being salvaged. You salvage it by having a plan to prosecute the conflict to a conclusion of surrender.
Click to expand...

Ten years ago Trump said he had a “plan” to employ a fantastic health care plan. To this day he has not unveiled one.

Trump “plans” are worthless. He already made the Iran issues far worse and there’s no way to undo the damage he has done. But you stay tuned for his “plans.”
 
sensible don said:
Now the WH lawyers are begging dems to not go after Grandpa, everyone else is game you know. Grandpa may just resign and take his billions to the grave.
Click to expand...

Trump and his cabal are terrified of having light shined on their corrupt schemes. And his cultists will cheer all efforts of Trump and his stooges to terrify any members of Congress engaging in oversight.
 
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