Congress kicks off massive new probe into Trump’s potential crimes

The House Judiciary Committee unveiled a sweeping new investigation into Trump and his inner circle Monday, requesting documents from more than 80 individuals and entities, including Trump’s family, businesses, and presidential administration.

Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) said the investigation will focus on three main areas: obstruction of justice, public corruption, and abuses of power by Trump.

“Over the last several years, President Trump has evaded accountability for his near-daily attacks on our basic legal, ethical, and constitutional rules and norms,” Nadler said in a statement Monday.

“We have seen the damage done to our democratic institutions in the two years that the Congress refused to conduct responsible oversight,” Nadler added. “Congress must provide a check on abuses of power.”

As part of the “massive investigation,” as Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) described it, congressional investigators are seeking documents from nearly everyone in Trump’s orbit — including family members, business associates, and campaign staffers, as well as organizations like the NRA and Cambridge Analytica.

Others on the list include Trump’s inaugural committee, the Trump Organization, the Trump Foundation, the Trump transition team, and the White House.

The document request comes after last week’s explosive House Oversight Committee hearing, in which Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen repeatedly name-dropped key figures in Trump’s orbit, accusing them of engaging in criminal activity.

Many of the people named by Cohen are on the list of document requests published Monday.

The part of the probe focused on obstruction will look at efforts by Trump and others to interfere in criminal investigations, as well as their alleged attempts to cover up criminal activity.

The probe into potential abuses of power will focus on Trump’s attacks on the free press, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies, as well as misuses of presidential pardon power and other presidential authorities.

Investigators will also look at potential acts of public corruption by Trump and his associates, including violations of the emoluments clause, conspiracy to violate federal campaign and financial reporting laws, and “other criminal misuses of official positions for personal gain.”

“We have sent these document requests in order to begin building the public record,” said Nadler. “Investigating these threats to the rule of law is an obligation of Congress and a core function of the House Judiciary Committee.”

“This is a critical time for our nation, and we have a responsibility to investigate these matters and hold hearings for the public to have all the facts,” Nadler added. “That is exactly what we intend to do.”

With Democrats in control, Congress is finally fulfilling its constitutional oversight duty — and today’s document request shows just how powerful that oversight can be.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.