Good Government Now

We strengthen congressional capacities for oversight, investigation & enforcement of subpoenas of the executive branch & promote constitutionalism & rule of law

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

GGN President @WJMurphy2:
"We're working on a proposal to strengthen the ability of Congress to enforce subpoenas to the executive branch."

Learn more about GGN here: https://t.co/YHYRRK9thp

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

The best approach is for Congress to severely punish any executive branch personnel who obstruct its investigations using the inherent contempt power which authorizes fines, incarceration & other sanctions after conviction in legislative floor trials. https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Rep. Dan Bishop @RepDanBishop]

Completely unacceptable. The censors don’t get to set the rules for congressional oversight.

Use the power of the purse to bring this recalcitrant administration to heel.

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@RepDanBishop The best approach is for Congress to severely punish any executive branch personnel who obstruct its investigations using the inherent contempt power which authorizes fines, incarceration & other sanctions after conviction in legislative floor trials. https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

The best approach is for Congress to severely punish any executive branch personnel who obstruct its investigations using the inherent contempt power which authorizes fines, incarceration & other sanctions after conviction in legislative floor trials. https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Mollie @MZHemingway]

State Department threatening to obstruct ‘censorship’ investigation: House GOP https://t.co/K6wM3C1xyC via @dcexaminer

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@MZHemingway @dcexaminer The best approach is for Congress to severely punish any executive branch personnel who obstruct its investigations using the inherent contempt power which authorizes fines, incarceration & other sanctions after conviction in legislative floor trials. https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@tedlieu @SpeakerMcCarthy .@replieu is right on this point. DOJ has been refusing to enforce the criminal contempt statute against executive branch officials since 2006. Congress must reclaim its awesome inherent constitutional authorities by punishing recalcitrant witnesses unilaterally.

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@Squill_Mama @GOP Yes, the inherent contempt power includes arrest. A vote of the full House is required to authorize the arrest of an uncooperative witness, though. Speaker can’t order an arrest without one. Also, heavy personal fines are a better first step than arrest. https://t.co/t1nNuCXxXg

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@toddmdaniel @nomandatesco @grok Exactly right! And impressive explanation. Key to note that floor votes are required for conviction and imposition of penalties under inherent contempt. Personal fines are also a better bet for success in modern era. https://t.co/t1nNuCXxXg

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@nomandatesco Yes! Either House can punish contempt with fines, arrest, detention or appointing special counsel to prosecute criminally after conviction in a floor trial and a vote authorizing punishment. Heavy personal fines are a better first step than arrest, though. https://t.co/t1nNuCXxXg

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@bennyjohnson Yes! Inherent contempt encompasses all powers necessary for Congress to punish contempt unilaterally including conducting trials of, convicting & punishing violators with fines, arrest, detention & criminal prosecution by legislatively-appointed lawyers. https://t.co/t1nNuCXxXg

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@MJTruthUltra Yes, the inherent contempt power includes arrest. A vote of the full House is required to authorize the arrest of an uncooperative witness, though. Speaker can’t order an arrest without one. Also, heavy personal fines are a better first step than arrest. https://t.co/t1nNuCXxXg

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@Customex2 @RepThomasMassie Congress has authority to try, convict, and directly punish contemnors through inherent contempt @Customex2. Congress should avoid civil court & relying on DOJ for criminal prosecutions. It just isn't necessary and not the constitutionally original enforecement mechanism.

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@RepThomasMassie @thee_ppd Holder and every executive branch witness since 2006 who has defied congressional subpoenas when DOJ began refusing to present criminal citations to the grand jury should have been dealt with this way. Congress could have imposed fines up to $250K w/escalating sanctions.

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@RepThomasMassie @thee_ppd But @RepThomasMassie we will lose before we start if we try to use the courts to enforce legislative authority. Congress possesses all the powers necessary to try, convict, and punish defiant witnesses unilaterally through inherent contempt.

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@thee_ppd @RepThomasMassie .@thee_ppd you are 100% right. This is why Congress should use inherent contempt to punish subpoena defiance. Inherent contempt allows Congress to conduct its own trials, convict witnesses for contempt, and then punish them directly with fines or other punishments.

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@RepThomasMassie Congress should immediately & severely punish such witnesses with heavy personal fines issued in inherent contempt proceedings. This could be done in days or weeks if the political will and commitment to reestablishing legislative authority existed. See https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

@RepThomasMassie Congress can impose far heavier fines more quickly without DOJ assistance by holding its own internal trials to convict & punish those who defy subpoenas. GGNs inherent contempt fines rule proposes fines of $25,000 per day up to a maximum of $250,000. https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

Congress can impose far heavier fines more quickly without DOJ assistance by holding its own internal trials to convict & punish those who defy subpoenas. GGNs inherent contempt fines rule proposes fines of $25,000 per day up to a maximum of $250,000. https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Thomas Massie @RepThomasMassie]

This should get their attention. Why aren’t we doing this?

[Good Government Now @GoodGovNow]

Congress should immediately & severely punish such witnesses with heavy personal fines issued in inherent contempt proceedings. This could be done in days or weeks if the political will and commitment to reestablishing legislative authority existed. See https://t.co/t1nNuCX07I

[Thomas Massie @RepThomasMassie]

If I were Speaker,

It would be House policy that if any witness in a congressional hearing said “it’s our department’s policy not to comment on ongoing investigations,”

the witness would be subjected to an immediate contempt of Congress vote and

the department would be cut 1%.

[Elizabeth Goitein @LizaGoitein]

If you believe the government should have to get a warrant to read Americans’ communications, CALL YOUR SENATORS AND TELL THEM “NO SECTION 702 EXTENSION ON THE NDAA WITHOUT A CERTIFICATION CAP.” What does that mean? I’ll explain. 1/15

[Elizabeth Goitein @LizaGoitein]

So now is the time for action. The procedural vote on the Section 702 extension will take place tomorrow. Retweet this, and then call your senators and tell them: “NO SECTION 702 EXTENSION WITHOUT A CERTIFICATION CAP.” @SenSchumer @LeaderMcConnell 14/15