Republicans move to hide Trump's Russia connections, bury conflict of interest investigations

Mark Sumner

Daily Kos Staff

Thursday February 23, 2017 · 5:39 AM PST

2017/02/23 · 05:39

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 21: House Judiciary Committee member Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) questions Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill September 21, 2016 in Washington, DC. Despite the lack of evidence against him, Koskinen is facing impeachment threats from conservatives in the House of Representatives for his role in the destruction of computer backups containing thousands of emails sought by Congress in its investigation of political targeting. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) — Here are at least sixteen more excuses we can use to keep talking about Benghazi.

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Democratic lawmakers want to find out the truth about Donald Trump’s connections to Russia, and how his policies are being distorted by business interests.

Democrats have blasted Trump for failing to make a clean break from his real estate empire, accusing him of being vulnerable to conflicts of interest. They also are suspicious of his campaign’s relationship with Russia. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that top Russian officials orchestrated interference into the 2016 presidential election on Trump’s behalf.

Republicans want to keep any investigation from getting even a moment’s notice in public—both because protecting Trump is now their number one priority and so they can free up more time for investigating Sid the Science Kid. On the other hand, individual House members are a tad reluctant to put their name next to a “Trump gets out of all laws free” resolution. So they’re doing it in committee.

Seeking to avoid a full House vote on the so-called “resolution of inquiry” — a roll call that would be particularly embarrassing and divisive for the right — Republicans will send proposal by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) to the House Judiciary Committee for a panel vote on Tuesday, two Democratic sources said. The GOP-controlled committee is expected to kill the resolution.

To make sure that even the committee vote gets lost in the shuffle, Republicans are scheduling it to sneak in just before Trump’s first address to Congress.

New York Democrat Jerry Nadler had filed a resolution of inquiry, a manuever which would have bypassed the usual roadblocks that allow Republican House leadership to squelch legislation before it reaches the floor. Under the resolution, Attorney General Jeff Sessions would be required to turn over documentation showing any investigations of Trump’s activities. Other agencies would also have to make information available for review.

But Republicans are moving quickly to make sure that the public stays in the dark.

The mark-up will likely prove awkward for Judiciary Committee Republicans who will have to block the resolution. Judiciary member and Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) just last week, for instance, faced sharp questions from constituents who accused him of steering the Oversight panel's agenda to protect Trump.

Chaffetz will just have to spend more time in hiding. Perhaps Republicans can put camouflage and stealth maneuvers on the agenda at CPAC.

Republicans move to hide Trump's Russia connections, bury conflict of interest investigations

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