Grijalva Reacts to Chair Westerman’s Unilateral Issuance of Subpoena
WASHINGTON – U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on Chair Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) unilateral issuance of a subpoena to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for documents related to his investigation into Floyd Bennett Field, which has yet to uncover any evidence of wrongdoing. The subpoena is the first in the Committee’s history to be issued without a vote.
“The fact that I found out about the Chairman’s subpoena within minutes of their press release is beyond reproach,” Ranking Member Grijalva said. “The Committee has never issued a subpoena without substantial notice and a vote from all Members. With his unilateral stroke of a pen, Chairman Westerman has irreparably devalued the Committee’s congressional oversight authority, a legacy that he indeed carries alone, but that impacts us all.
“Even if we put aside the absurdity of continuing to pursue his dead-end, election-year stunt of an investigation, this subpoena is a reckless abuse of power and a showing of deep disrespect for every other Member on the Natural Resources Committee, both Republican and Democrat, who deserved to have a say in such a weighty and somber action. And since the administration is continuing to act in good faith anyway, the Chairman has effectively sacrificed his authority, respect, and seriousness for what will amount to a genuine waste of time.”
DHS has already produced several documents for this request and provided a transcribed interview. The administration has also already assured the Committee that it would provide the requested documents.
In June, Ranking Member Grijalva sent a letter to Chair Westerman warning him that unilaterally issuing a subpoena would devalue the Committee’s oversight authority and would directly contradict process measures that Republicans drafted in the Democratic-controlled 116th Congress and continued in the 117th, largely at the behest of then-Ranking Member Westerman himself.
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