Free Republic

WASHINGTON — A key congressional committee has already gained access to President Donald Trump's dealings with two major financial institutions, two sources familiar with the House probe tell NBC News, as a court ruling Wednesday promised to open the door for even more records to be handed over. Wells Fargo and TD Bank are the two of nine institutions that have so far complied with subpoenas issued by the House Financial Services Committee demanding information about their dealings with the Trump Organization, according to the sources. The disclosures by these two banks haven't been previously reported. Both TD Bank and...

Part 308 of 308 in the series Wisconsin's Secret War MADISON, Wis. - In the wake of Wisconsin's notorious John Doe investigation, lawmakers unveiled a bill Thursday that would create a legislative committee armed with subpoena power to investigate closed John Doe proceedings. The legislation, authored by state Rep. Dave Craig, R-Town of Vernon, and Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, delves into the broader, scarier reaches of secret investigative technologies and techniques, creating a committee that would have oversight of law enforcement and investigations at large. "One of the constitutional duties and powers of the Legislature is to make sure that...

Intrepid reporter Kathryn Watson at The Daily Caller News Foundation just wanted to get copies of administrative subpoenas issued by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC replied to her Freedom of Information Act request with obstruction. Nobody knows how many administrative subpoenas are issued by government agencies. Administrative subpoenas are warrants for records such as private “papers” and emails. They are issued unilaterally by government bureaucrats, and are impossible to reconcile with the Fourth Amendment’s requirements of "oath and affirmation" of "probable cause" before neutral judges. Watson and The Daily Caller News Foundation have been doing the work that Congress...

Showing a growing frustration with the the Obama administration, congressional Republicans on Thursday authorized their second subpoena this week, demanding White House documents related to failed solar technology company Solyndra. By a 14-9 party-line vote the Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative subcommittee authorized issuing a subpoena for any White House documents related to Solyndra, which received renewable energy loan guarantees under President Obama’s stimulus program. The request for documents could include details of the president’s own travel and communications. Democrats said it was “unprecedented” to subpoena documents from the president’s executive office like this, but Republicans said they’ve run out...