President Trump is likely to face at least five new House investigations -- plus a likely impeachment probe -- if Democrats take the chamber in the fall elections and make Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaker.
“Our caucus -- led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi -- will need to ruthlessly prioritize the most important matters first,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, a longtime critic of the president.
“We must do what the supine Republican Congress has failed to do over the past two years: restore Congress as an equal branch and check the ambition of an imperial and erratic president,” he wrote in a Washington Post oped.
Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, listed five different investigations he sees should the House take over, including one that will probe his charge that Russians are laundering money through properties owned by the Trump family.
From column, here are the five probes Democrats would tackle next January:
-- “In the Intelligence Committee, we will assess the work we have accomplished despite the Republican efforts at obstruction, along with what the Senate and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III have examined, and determine what else needs a full accounting.”
-- “There are serious and credible allegations the Russians may possess financial leverage over the president, including perhaps the laundering of Russian money through his businesses. It would be negligent to our national security not to find out.”
-- “In the Oversight Committee, ranking Democrat Elijah E. Cummings has said he wants to scrutinize bread-and-butter issues, such as the high cost of prescription drug prices, and corruption issues, including whether Trump is profiting off the presidency.”
-- “On the Judiciary Committee, ranking Democrat Jerrold Nadler is demanding oversight of potential abuse of the pardon power, attacks on the rule of law, and campaign finance violations.”
-- “And Democrats on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee want to make sure veterans are getting the best care and that decisions are being made by the professionals, not Trump’s unelected cronies.”
That leaves impeachment proceedings. Top Democrats have urged members against calling for impeachment, worried it will build GOP voter enthusiasm. But Democratic voters are eager for impeachment and it is expected to be in the mix in a House majority.