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House votes to hold AG Bill Barr, Wilbur Ross in criminal contempt over census dispute
CNN ^ | 07/17/2019 | By Clare Foran and Ashley Killough

Posted on 07/17/2019 8:00:06 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Washington (CNN)The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in criminal contempt over a dispute related to the Trump administration's efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.

The vote was 230-198, largely along party lines. Four Democrats broke with their party and voted against the resolution. One independent -- Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan -- supported the resolution.

The vote marks the first time that the full House has voted on criminal contempt of Trump administration officials since Democrats took over the majority. The move is virtually guaranteed to further inflame hostilities between the administration and House Democrats as they pursue oversight efforts. It is unclear, however, what practical impact the House contempt vote will have since a US attorney is not likely to take action against the head of their own Justice Department.

The latest escalation in tensions between House Democrats and the administration comes after the House Oversight Committee approved a resolution last month recommending that the House find Barr and Ross in contempt "for refusal to comply with subpoenas" issued as part of the panel's investigation into the push to include a question about citizenship in the upcoming census.

After the Supreme Court last month blocked the question from being added to the census, Trump created uncertainty over what would happen when he insisted that efforts to add the question were "absolutely moving forward" despite statements from both his Department of Justice and secretary of commerce that the administration was printing the census without the question. But at the end of last week, Trump retreated, instead asking government agencies to provide records that could determine a head-count of citizens without polling census-takers directly.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: billbarr; congress; contempt; wilburross; yesweknow
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To: Jim Robinson
Four Democrats broke with their party and voted against the resolution

FOUR? We had four of these Jaybirds who flipped seats in Pennsylvania alone who swore up and down that they wouldn't be Nancy Pelosi's little Lamb and be an independent voice.

As long as voters keep falling for that schtick, they will keep getting it.

41 posted on 07/18/2019 7:12:25 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: Jim Robinson

I’m not sure we can even consider it a “power” when it is so entirely inconsequential.

These Democrats are exercising their right to free speech like any other citizens - the only difference being an exaggerated sense of self-importance while doing it.


42 posted on 07/18/2019 8:27:10 AM PDT by enumerated
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To: COBOL2Java

One of my favorite gifs lately!


43 posted on 07/18/2019 8:35:31 AM PDT by rlmorel (Trump to China: This Capitalist Will Not Sell You the Rope with Which You Will Hang Us.)
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To: Paladin2

Think about this held in criminal contempt. Where do they send that to the DOJ and AG Barr. What are the chances that Barr will hold indict himself? Had they done civil they could have gone to federal court


44 posted on 07/18/2019 11:02:56 AM PDT by klsparrow
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To: samadams2000

Cummings went on to say, “In this case, the attorney general and Secretary Ross have blatantly obstructed our ability to do congressional oversight into the real reason Secretary Ross was trying — for the first time in 70 years — to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.” First time in 70 years? what was it that Obama removed in 2010? Also the citizenship has been part of the census from the start in one form are another.


45 posted on 07/18/2019 11:08:33 AM PDT by klsparrow
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To: gibsonguy

Isn’t that what “along party lines” means?


46 posted on 07/18/2019 11:32:10 AM PDT by DrewsMum
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To: COBOL2Java

Like I’ve said before, the only thing missing is an upraised middle finger on the Attorney General’s part.


47 posted on 07/18/2019 3:41:19 PM PDT by Ban Draoi Marbh Draoi ( Gen. 12:3: a warning to all anti-semites.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m sure Barr and Ross are losing so much sleep over this. /sarc


48 posted on 07/18/2019 3:51:27 PM PDT by fwdude
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To: xzins
It should be called contempt of house.

I'm going with "Contempt of RATs".

49 posted on 07/19/2019 1:24:28 PM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER ( "The Owl" eats RATs for breakfast!)
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To: ROCKLOBSTER

And you’d be right. Lol!


50 posted on 07/20/2019 10:33:13 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: fwdude

Contempt for Congress should be a requirement for receiving the Medal of Freedom.


51 posted on 07/20/2019 10:35:35 AM PDT by Scott from the Left Coast (You may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you...)
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To: faithhopecharity

Those b*stards! Who’s going to take care of Mr. Ed with Willll.....bur in shackles?


52 posted on 07/21/2019 1:43:31 PM PDT by alstewartfan ("The strangest women run wild down there Covered head to toe with Fur and hair." Al Stewart in Hanno)
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