Washington, D.C.—People For the American Way today released the following statement from PFAW Executive Vice President Marge Baker in response to the vote in the House of Representatives to authorize the House Judiciary Committee and other committees to pursue court action to enforce subpoenas issued for documents and testimony from former and current Trump administration officials.

“Trump is not above the law, and the House’s action today was a direct result of his stonewalling in response to congressional subpoenas. Trump’s unprecedented and flagrant effort to hide the truth from the American people warrants strong action from Congress, and we applaud the House for approving this resolution.

“A subpoena is not a suggestion; those who receive them from House committees must comply. It’s not optional. When the House or one of its committees calls a witness from the administration in connection with an oversight hearing, they are obligated to appear. Trump seems to think the rules do not apply to him, and he is wrong.

“In the first two years of Trump’s presidency, House Republicans had a chance to prove they could put country before party and hold Trump accountable. They failed in every way, and in response, the American people sent a new Congress to D.C. to check Trump’s power and corruption. The House has a responsibility to perform oversight over the executive branch, and they should be commended for moving to defend our Constitution and our nation today.”

About PFAW

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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