The U.S. Dept of Justice (DOJ) has sent a five-page letter to congress, copying Politico for the public distribution therein. [SEE pdf HERE]
The snarky and passive aggressive Lawfare tone inside the letter is rather remarkable in its sanctimony and condescension. Essentially, Main Justice is telling congressional oversight, specifically House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, not to expect any timely responses because there’s a lot going on.
Additionally, as the letter directly implies, Republican oversight is not in the favor of the current administration or DOJ and, well, in general terms, get over it – they aren’t complying. However, feel free to initiate the formal negotiation process that will likely take several years.
From the letter to Jim Jordan, “Your January 17 requests—made now in your position as Chairman—initiate the constitutionally mandated accommodation process. Under this process, the Legislative and Executive Branches have a constitutional obligation to negotiate in good faith to meet the informational needs of Congress while protecting the institutional interests of the Executive Branch. We look forward to beginning this process in response to your January 17 letters.” (link)
(Via Politico) – […] The letter, addressed to Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), acknowledges the GOP’s multiple requests for information during the last Congress but doesn’t divulge any new information. Instead, Uriarte outlines how he hopes DOJ could have a “productive relationship” with Republicans in the new Congress, as Jordan had in previous letters accused the DOJ of “stonewalling” their requests, raised the possibility of a subpoena and said the committee could resort to “compulsory practices” to obtain the requested information and documents.
It’s an early marker of DOJ’s position as Republicans pledge to probe President Joe Biden’s administration over a laundry list of issues, including with a select subpanel that has a broad mandate to investigate the federal government. Conservatives have hinted they would use that panel to try to look into certain ongoing law enforcement investigations. (read more)
I think at this point everyone outside the professional political class in the Legislative Branch knew this was going to happen. However, the Republicans in Congress will likely pretend to be stunned by this development, Fox News Sean Hannity will be outraged by it, and then the RNC and RCCC will dispatch fundraising campaigns citing the refusal of the DOJ. Win, win, win… wash – rinse – repeat.
Predicting this approach was exactly why CTH said the House Subcommittee on Weaponized Government should not waste time looking for assistance, documents and or internal support from the various DC silos. Instead, the oversight committees need to go through the formal request process (blah, blah, blah) but focus their efforts at getting documents from the private sector collaborators outside the DC silo system.
If it seems like the Democrats always know how to use power more effectively than Republicans, you would be absolutely correct. However, few people really understand the reason for it. So, I will repeat.
The Republicans want money. The Democrats want power. The Republicans use power to get money. The Democrats use money to get power. The ideology of the Democrats drives their donor funding. The donor funding of the Republicans drives their ideology.
This core truism carries forward beyond electoral politics and into the realm of legislative battles and oversight conflicts. Republicans want money as their primary objective. If the Biden administration wants to get an ideological bill passed, the Democrats simply buy the votes of Republicans (especially Senators).
As an additional outcome, Republicans in congress have no core values, no core objectives, no goals to achieve. After all, their structural goal is money.
Give Republicans power and they don’t know what to do with it, because the voters essentially boosted the dog to catch the car… now what?
What you see in the outcome of elections is that Republicans do not have any plan for power, because it’s not the issue that takes up their intellectual time. That’s reserved for deep analytical thoughts about how to make money from (XXX).
The Democrats know this, they know the main mission of Republicans. Ergo, the Lawfare DOJ pats the Republicans on the head and waits for the frustrated voters to get sick of the GOP doing nothing again, and the Democrats simply wait them out.
We have been in this repetitious abuse cycle for about two decades.
Battered Conservative Syndrome is a very real thing.
There are an enormous amount of codependent enabling voters in this process. I call them Seagull Republicans because they are voters who will fly down and shit over anyone who complains about this reality – then they fly up to their high perches and look down their noses.
In case you missed it, the Seagull Republicans are currently aligned to support Harmeet Dhillon and Ron DeSantis.
One UniParty consisting of two wings, the RNC and the DNC. One bird, two wings.
The GOPe priority around money is the one constant on the right wing. But don’t worry, because the Seagulls are promising that Ron DeSantis will protect us from teh geys.
Color me not shocked.
I am shocked they actually said it!
Every time I think I have reached my maximum level of disgust with this administration, they manage to exceed it.
Bureaucrats have all the time in the world. Congress should starts abolishing these agencies.
Will that work? Asking as an uninformed observer but it “would seem” that the power of funding for these agencies would have some clout. Again, totally ubnnformed but initial gut reaction.
SD said they are funded through 2024.
The house needs to find a way to start cutting the size of every federal agency or eliminate them. Close down their DC offices and whenever possible transfer them to our hinterlands with nothing but a cardboard box for an office and make them remain in that office for 8 hours a day or fire their sorry azz.
Someone needs to learn to think creatively.
Omnibus, which is UNCONSTITUTIONAL since it originated in the US Senate, has funding for THIS FY which ends Sep 30
Yes! They can defund. But they risk attendant blackmail!
I don’t know how anyone’s gonna stop the money. 😐
Wait a minute; that’s not entirely true. No one has to stop the money; because at some point the money will stop by itself, when the whole things collapses under its own weight.
Which Congress are you thinking would do that?
Stop paying their salaries. Defund them. Do what all the high tech companies are doing now … cut the fat. Cut the waste. Cut the useless employees.
There goes 99% right there
“Republicans in congress have no core values, no core objectives, no goals to achieve.”
My Republican Congress-critter constantly talks about values. It’s a mantra of his. I pressed him about his ‘values’ in a recent letter. I expect he will ‘value’ silence more than a ‘valuable’ response to my letter.
He who has no core, values nothing. He can choke on his GOPe money.
I expect the e-mail calls for GOP donations will start coming this weekend….
I wrote emails to President Trump a handful of times, when he was in Office; and he actually wrote me back once, to thank me for my prayers. Maybe it was just someone answering his emails for him; but it was still nice.
I have not read in the constitution where it says that the legislative branch has to negotiate with departments like the DOJ to receive cooperation.
You would think elected representatives have more authority than departments.
Congress created all those alphabet agencies—they didn’t create themselves! But once they were created—they started investigating every one of those congressman for dirt with which to blackmail them. Congress held back one thing from fbi—a congressional charter!!! They don’t have one to this day!
created by an “executive decision” in 1908…SCOTUS would likely decide they are a legal instrument of government since Congress has been funding their operation for over 100 years
But the Legislative Branch has relinquished its place under the Constitution to the multitude of Agencies of the permanent government employees. Congress is more like the king and queen of England; mostly for patriotic decoration. The real work that only gets done, is by those who have (other countries’) money and powerful connections.
There are jail cells in the basement of the Capitol that could be utilized to give some of these bad actors the same treatment the J6ers are experiencing.
But guts are required and I’m not holding my breath.
Should be used to it by now. Shiny things, shiny things everywhere…..
(Massie)
Biden Congratulates McCarthy on Speakership
The Holder Justice Department has proven to be a remarkably durable institution. It is the foundation of the fourth pillar of government. Even the intel agencies could not survive without the Holder DOJ remaining intact.
Ah-ha! This is the result of the “Community Organizer” that sat at the helm from 2009-2016. It wasn’t just the hometown community he was organizing; it was the community of American justice and intelligence. No wonder they went off the deep end when Trump was elected. And no wonder they had to rig an election to get him out of office!
Ray Charles could see this coming.
Why the Hell are the American people forced to pay these people/communist ? The same cooperation Eric Holder gave will be the same cooperation Merrick Garland will show and you can bet Merrick will travel the same contempt.
Is there any gun running going on now ?
😂 Ukraine
The House of Representatives must use the debt limit as a sledge hammer. No cooperation means no more borrowing. If the government cannot pay its bills, it must SHRINK drastically and live within the revenue it receives.
Perhaps that is a part of the negotiating the DOJ wishes to do.
McCarthy doesn’t have the stones.
One uses the tools at their disposal … fully. Or they should resign in humiliation.
I don’t know if I heard this right but I thought I heard the other day that Janet Yellen is threatening to cut the payments to Social Security and Medicare in a blackmail threat to Republicans withholding the funding of debt ceiling. Part of the creative bookkeeping allowed to her position.
Now we know why Jordan used diplomatic language in his request letter instead of DEMAND compliance as so many complained.
Much better to expose intransigence diplomatically than to beclown oneself with puffery in the face of a certain rebuff.
Now it’s time for the Sundance Stratagem.
Always ask nicely the first time, then wait 30 days and hammer them.
GOP timidity
Time to take apart the DOJ/FBI down to the rafters and start over.
How does it go again?
Nobody is above the law?
We are being ruled by organized criminals. And they’ve just given Congress their pink slips.
Former Speaker Pelosi said something like that – ‘no one is above the law, not even the President’. Will McCarthy act on it?
We ARE being ruled by organized criminals in all Branches. Let the Cartoon begin.
The power of the purse rests with the House. We’ll see if Kevin McLunz knows how to use it…
As Sundance says below – “They are already funded through 2024, that’s what Omnibus did.
They cannot (currently) be defunded.”
Convenient. McConnell’s Senate made sure of it.
We have had decades of theater. I don’t see any real change coming. Sorry to be such a downer.
Ah yes…that I had forgotten. The debt limit, however, is coming up.
A slender thread to hold onto, Paul. Don’t say “Uncle” quite yet.
Yes Betsy. Never say Uncle. If a debt increase can be stopped, go for it. Anything that will stop this clown show.
As is said, desperate times call for desperate measures. Whatever it takes.
JMO.
” I don’t see any real change coming.”
Getting pee-low-ski out of leadership …… now that is real change that isn’t coming because it has already been accomplished.
Thomas has a squad at the end of the MAGA column for downers. No one is turned away.
FY 2023 ENDS Sep 30 2023
That train left the station with the last omnibus bill. As has been pointed out by Sundance, the conmunist racist democrats know how to wield power and use it to their advantage.
I’ll bet that’s not the only tool in the toolbox.
not really IF the GOP wants a fight……Slo Joe signature or not it is still an illegal funding bill
Yes, Betsy. The buck stops there. The clown college that is the Republican Party is once again going to either shuck and jive their way out of this, or stand up for the people they purport to represent. I’m talking to you Jim Jordan. I’m talking to you Kevin McCarthy.
I’d think McCarthy doesn’t want to be seen as a weak and ineffectual.
Perhaps he learned a thing or two from being an understudy and can out- Nancy Nancy. It will take some doing admittedly. We shall see.
seek an emergency decree from SCOTUS on the Omnibus as it originated in the US Senate meaning it is NOT legal according to the US Constitution
We need Congress to repeal the SES and cease those salaries immediately. Promote from the ranks.
Flush the SES and let them reapply if they want to work in the agency, and go through the normal process.
Repeal the Senior Executive Service, cease its operations immediately and send them all packing as soon as possible.
There are plenty of competent people in government to pick up the slack.
We should presume SES is at the root of the adverse and frightening change in leadership of the federal agencies. These federal entities all need a serious cultural reboot.
Terminate the SES and that reboot can begin. The SES culture appears to have gone septic.
“Nobody is above the law?”
That old phrase is no longer a useful reference point and hasn’t been for decades.
Yes, Sharon. I meant it more sardonically than it seemed in print.
I was rolling my eyes as I wrote that, I’m surprised you couldn’t hear them.
which law?
In clown world there are and have been many versions of the law, usually contradictory.
I was quoting Betsy Jones’ comment, so your query (“which law?”) would be directed to her. Trying to participate in running conversations as we do is a bit tricky!!
“Essentially, Main Justice is telling congressional oversight, specifically House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, not to expect any timely responses because there’s a lot going on.”
McCarthy, with Jordan beside him, should be making it clear the House will look very closely at every line item in their budget until cooperation improves.
Alas it seems some select Senators sold us down the river by passing the monstrous Porkulis Bill giving mass amounts of funding to the traitors.
illegally done….all funding MUST begin in the House
“……….telling congressional oversight,…………….not to expect any timely responses because there’s a lot going on.”
That’s just their way of saying they’re prepared to kick the can down the road until after the next election, where there will be a “new” congress, and all will be forgotten (swept under the rug). Also, “a lot going on” is the semi-polite way of saying “yeah, we’ll be watching your every move too, so be careful, bub”
“ Instead, the oversight committees need to go through the formal request process (blah, blah, blah) but focus their efforts at getting documents from the private sector collaborators outside the DC silo system.”
Hope Jordan takes you up on that, Sundance. 👍🏻🙏🏼
If Jordan did so, along with the other points made by Sundance about a Communications team, then the first hearing they held on documents they got from outside DOJ would be interesting.
Make it VERY public that any information they currently have came WITHOUT DOJ cooperation.
This committee will need many regular people helping them keep the heat on.
The process is: Congress subpoenas, recipient complies.
It’s simple.
If the congress had any balls they would tell the DOJ to all pack up and go home, since we’re not gonna pay you.
But sadly our elected officials and most of the American people have been castrated somewhere in the past.
Start cutting funding until compliance. We have arrived at a crossroads and this is the first test to see who is serious.
They are already funded through 2024, that’s what Omnibus did.
They cannot (currently) be defunded.
Sundance, does the house have authority to take back monies budgeted that are yet unspent?
A clawback of monies previously appropriated sounds like a case I’ve heard of that was adjudicated in prior years involving at least one federal agency.
I’d have to check in on that and see what I find.
If this were possible we could be debt free in 10 years, and also go to a flat tax!
Not going to promise anything on that one.
Remember, the federal judiciary have ruled more than once that the executive branch must spend what is appropriated for by the legislative branch.
Impoundment Act under Nixon
That’s what I was just wondering.
Must be. If Pelosi were in charge she’d have figured a way to do so.
Revive Holman Rule?
They will answer that question next month when the money runs out and they need to figure out the next debt override vs govt. shutdown debate.
Only if a bill is passed by the House and Senate AND signed by Brandon.
all spending bills are to originate in the House according to the US Constitution……Omnibus started in the Senate
no, they do NOT……once appropriated it is contracted spending by both parties….but we are not legally funded atm
From what I can see that Omnibus makes the congress’s power of the purse about as powerful as a water pistol in a hurricane. Other than flapping their wings and crowing about some going nowhere investigations there’s little reason for congress to even be in session until the next Omnibus. Maybe they can make some noise with the next debt ceiling debacle next month when we run out of all this money they’ve spent.
Many ways for congress to delay appropriations.
Legitimate question; Even if they are funded through 2024, aren’t there debt ceiling issues to undermine the funding? Maybe that’s like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but there should be some type of budget control available to congress over agencies.
Thanks mitch!
And they plan to cheat in 2024 so the House stays in UNIPARTY control. So to heck with compliance. Why the Republicans even thinking about cutting their funding has to be a threat to democracy and a thought crime.
sure they can……SCOTUS probably won’t but LEGALLY the Omnibus is NOT constitutional since it began its journey as a FUNDING bill in the Senate
btw FISCAL YEAR 1 Oct – 30 Sep…….so if it were honored it runs out in 8 months
I expect Janet Yellen has 17 different work-arounds … let’s all face it … The People have lost total control of our government. Our job is to work, be taxed, and shut up.
Time the government learns that they work for us, we don’t work for them! They will throw their temper tantrums (as all toddlers learn to do) as their funding dries up and they get their pink slips.
“because they are voters who will fly down and shit over anyone who complains about this reality”
This is clearly describing far too many “conservatives” in the “conservative media”.
Two options now remain:
Inherent Contempt and Impeachment.
Two options, that is, unless you consider surrender an option.
Repeal the Omnibus Bill? All but the spent parts?
2/3 of BOTH houses OR a majority of both and Slo Joe’s signature……. neither of which would happen……easy way is request for an emergency decree from SCOTUS declaring it illegally passed since it started in the US Senate
I cannot point to any one of those GOPers and think of a successful outcome of any of their investigations over the years. It beggars belief that only they could expect monies as a reward for their collective lack of achievement. They’re identical to the Democratic side of the aisle but just without all the strident nuttiness.
There’s a very simple solution to this: Zero out their budget. Don’t feel like you’re accountable to Congress? Then you get no money. DoJ eliminated. Problem solved.
Cut their funding
Leaders of Appropriations Committee
Chairwoman Kay Granger
Rep. Tom Cole (OK) will serve as the vice chair of the Appropriations Committee during the 118th Congress.
Subcommittee Chair Commerce, Justice, Science – Rep. Hal Rogers (KY)
Start with DOJ and then go to military since they are shipping our weapons to Ukraine.
https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1492196/download
“I think at this point everyone outside the professional political class in the legislative branch knew this was going to happen. ”
Yes. At least everyone here did.
We will either get enough people in to pull funding for the corrupt entities (all of them), or the show will go on as it has the last 20 years.
I wish at some point that we would acknowledge the numbers shift we need in the Senate to make some progress against the administrative state. We are fully educated on the SSCI and what they have done to us. When will we acknowledge the numbers hole we currently find ourselves in.
Bring Garland, Wray and Burns (CIA) before the House.
“We are determined to find out the truth regarding the killing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In particular, CIA and FBI involvement. Turn over all underacted files in 5 days. If you refuse, we will defund your agencies”
Any Democrats or Rinos in Congress who are not in support of the inquiry are deemed to be covering up the assassination, and helping the guilty.
Congress can make the FILTHY LIBERAL DOJ management’s life miserable and should.
Also, Haul every bureaucrat that censored ANY speech before Congress and then arrest them after the public exposure. We have seen the evidence. We don’t Pretend like FILTHY MARXISTS
“the constitutionally mandated accommodation process” – he’s talking out his az
It’s time to make an example out of one of these arrogant sobs. Jordan needs to pick the issue and the person, subpoena them and give no more than seven days to comply fully. Time is of the essence, Congressional oversight can not be impeded. Any failure to comply completely then expedite the finding of contempt and arrest and jailing of the contemnor – arrest within 24 hours. What’s that 4AM knock on the door? That’s right, it’s the Sergeant At Arms.
No requests, no invitations, just SUBPOENAS followed by ENFORCEMENT.
“Jordan needs to pick the issue and the person, subpoena them and give no more than seven days to comply fully.”
from Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals:
8) “Keep the pressure on.”
13) “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. “
It’s serious business. No more curtsying and begging. DEMAND.
If the Fourth Branch is to be seriously challenged, this condescension cannot be taken passively.
They tried the polite, civilized way for co-operation. But this rebuff signals the way all issues will be handled. Delay, deflect, dismiss.
“For each week the democrat DOJ fails to comply, we will remove one democrat from a committee assignment. After all committee assignments are removed, democrat staff and offices are fair game.”
Seriously. Time to play some hardball for a change.
That is some of the games the democrats played on the republicans. The repubs were all afraid to speak up because they would never be assigned to any committees where they make additional monies. And they were always selected in secret….decisions being made by a small number of powerful congresscritters without the option to debate.
Hey, that’s an idea……stop paying extra money for committee assignments! That would take away their ability to bribe within congress. We pay their salaries…that should be enough. Might even make congress more functional.
The regulatory deep-state can tell the GOP House to get stuffed with lotsa confidence. They know with near certainty this is the last hurrah for any GOP-lead House.
The stranglehold the democrats and the left have on the WH and the Senate is being expanded every election cycle to pick-off more and more swing house seats. The big red wave that wasn’t was mainly due to ballot manufacturing (AKA, election fraud) and not for all the reasons the GOP establishment has claimed.
All of this drama about Trump versus DeSantis is just pissin’ in the wind political theater. Neither has a chance in flaming hell of winning the 2024 election. Absolutely no chance.
The fact that the entirety of the GOP to this day refuses to even acknowledge there’s a hint of vote fraud tells me they are part of this. There’s some dirty backroom deals that have been struck for the sake of political parties and money . They have been told if you mention this, you will be removed. No one dare say a word.
This country is toast.
here kitty kitty kitty – your name suits you
The case of the federal judge Walter Nixon wherein the SCOTUS decided against his appeal and that his impeachment, conviction and removal from his office by Congress would stand. Essentially, Congress has a sovereign ability to impeach a federal official.
A letter from the DOJ wing of the MAFIA just put in writing what the CTH followers already knew.
What would Pelosi do in this situation?
So, we shouldn’t hold our breath on that sunlight thing then?
Is it even an actual real thing, that Congress can withhold money to the DOJ until it complies with the House committee’s request?
If it’s a real thing, will Congress do that?
Will we get our sunlight?
Do these congressmen realize our Constitution is actually on the line as to whether we remain a republic, or become that nightmare totalitarian thing?
Do the congressmen realize the people are watching and except for those profiting from this fiasco no one else is up to pretending anymore?
I hope less and less voters believe we must save our masters(gov) to save the republic.
we have many long-time posters here counseling ignoring the US Constitution or giving exceptions to those who violate it….what is the difference…it either IS a document to follow or we have no legal structure of government to operate on
Zero out DOJ funding. Review federal hiring procedures until they come to a halt. Freeze SES appointments. Force DOJ to conduct a RIFT. Make sure they unable to order a paperclip from the Federal supply system. Target DOJ facilities for closure. Let State know their budget is at risk foe cooperating with intel. Ditto Defense. Target individuals within the DOJ organization for endless testimony.
Sundance; you are on a roll!
“We have been in this repetitious abuse cycle for about two decades.”
Sorry to disagree, SD, but its been going on for much longer than that. “Re-elect ol spender swampmeister, and Ill get em next time!” or, “Just hold your nose so we can get the next SCOTUS judge!”
The repub party has been selling their snake oil for a long time. Sad that so many still fall for it.
Mike Vanderbough had the right idea to solve this in “Absolved”.
Sir, you are great at analysis…..a little light on solutions….should we get used to the stalemate or what do you suggest we do?
Sundance led us to water. Drink! Throw sand! Codependency is not a virtue.
they think they are special
I wonder if Ketchup Lurch taught them this skill?
To keep my sanity, DC really does not exist. I pour my energies into my family, the ones I like, my grandkids and worthy friends. The rest…..
https://americanmind.org/memo/politics-is-interested-in-you/
That worked well – 2023
I never tired of WINNING! Bring it in again …
Does anyone know how many Christians work for Lawfare?
The same Christians who go to my Lutheran church … who stood up an applauded a gay seminary student who lectured them about Christs love and tolerance for transgendered Bishops.
many “Christians” go to get their weekly health and wealth messages with nothing that would upset their weak sensibilities……nothing like a good Gospel preacher who gives a message delivered by the Holy Spirit convicting those in attendance of their shortcomings and ushering them back to Christ’s example
Are you still attending that Church? Have the people who applauded been confronted? Has the gay seminary student been confronted? Is your pastor allowing this evil in the Church?
I was wondering that too.
None.
Cut off the funding to the whole of DOJ. The House, REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE, should close the purse. No cooperation, no money!
Exactly what I expected. Nothin gonna happen folks, just move along.
The only power the Boneless Turkeys have right now and until the next fiscal year is the Debt Ceiling. Will they cave or will they fight? I think we all know the answer to that.
Overheard at a recent planning meeting for new Select Sub-Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government:
“It’s almost as if the federal government has been weaponized.”
Don’t know why there is a Criminal Division in DOJ, the whole thing appears to be criminal.
Or should we say the Criminal squared Division?