WASHINGTON — House Democrats are set to vote next week on a resolution that would make it easier for the House of Representatives to drag members of the Trump administration to court ― and to find them in contempt ― for failing to comply with congressional subpoenas.
The resolution will also declare Attorney General William Barr and former White House counsel Don McGahn in contempt of Congress, and authorize the civil enforcement of subpoenas in federal court.
The House Rules Committee is expected to take up the resolution on Monday evening, and the full House could take it up on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump’s administration has been blowing off congressional oversight. The resolution would authorize the Office of General Counsel of the House to represent the House in pursuing civil litigation to force Barr and McGahn to comply with congressional subpoenas. The Barr and McGahn subpoenas grew out of the special counsel report authored by Robert Mueller.
House Democrats wanted to see the full Mueller report and its underlying evidence, as well as get evidence from McGahn about Trump’s aborted attempt to fire Mueller.
“We will not allow this president and his administration to turn a blind eye to the rule of law,” Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), the chairman of the House Rules Committee, said in a statement. “Enough is enough. This resolution will allow Congress to hold the president accountable while this Democratic Majority continues delivering on issues like health care and jobs.”
Democratic aides said they were still willing to work with the Justice Department to reach an accommodation to avert a contempt vote, but said the administration has refused to negotiate unless they take the contempt vote off the table.