Versus Trump: "What About Congress? + Steven Wu"
On a new episode of Versus Trump, Take Care's podcast, Easha, Jason, and Charlie discuss Congress's role and powers in investigations of the Executive. Then, Jason talks with Steven Wu, a Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, about the case against Trump University, the active role of states in recent years, and other issues in which New York is adverse to the President. As usual, you can listen online below or at takecareblog.com/podcast, and subscribe here with any podcast player or here in iTunes.
The discussion begins [start-28:30] with an introduction to Congressional investigations, including a discussion of Congress's role and the powers it has to issue subpoenas, hear testimony, and gather facts in the course of investigations. Jason, Easha, and Charlie then turn to the upcoming testimony of former FBI Director James Comey and discuss executive privilege, and then discuss former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's invocation of the Fifth Amendment in response to a congressional request for information. Finally, the group discusses a recent Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel Opinion concluding that the President and executive agencies are not obligated to respond to requests for information from individual members of Congress—only to requests from committees and Congress as a whole.
Next, Jason interviews Steven Wu of the office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman [28:30-1:01:30]. Jason and Steven discuss the fraud case against Trump University that his office brought several years ago and recently settled. They then discuss the role of states, progressive and conservative, in challenging federal policies that are adverse to the interests of citizens of states or the state's own interests. Finally, Jason asks Steven a few lightning round question about New York's role in debates about healthcare, climate change, and voting rights.
The episode concludes with a few quick Trump Lumps and listener feedback. [1:01:30-end]
Listen online below or at takecareblog.com/podcast, and subscribe here with any podcast player or here in iTunes.
Please share or provide feedback, and rate us in iTunes. You can find us at @VersusTrumpPod on twitter, or send us an email at versustrumppodcast@gmail.com.
Links
Congressional Investigations
- A recent report that the President will not invoke executive privilege to block Comey's testimony is here.
- A helpful overview of the Congressional subponea process, prepared by the law firm Mayer Brown, is here.
- The letter from Michael Flynn’s counsel explaining and justifying his invocation of the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination is here.
- The recent OLC opinion concluding that "individual members of Congress, including ranking minority members, do not have the authority to conduct oversight in the absence of a specific delegation by a full house, committee, or subcommittee" is here.
- A report that the Department of Homeland Security will respond to letters from individual members of Congress–despite the OLC opinion concluding that departments need not do so—is here.
- All of Take Care's coverage of Russian interference-related matters is here.
Steven Wu Interview
Tags:
Rule of Law Conflicts Other Conflicts Checks & Balances Congress Executive Branch Regulation Consumer Protection Healthcare Environment Russian Interference Versus Trump Podcast