Defense Secretary Mark Esper will no longer comply with impeachment inquiry

[brooklynite]

Source: NBC News

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Mark Esper will not comply with a subpoena from House Democrats related to their impeachment inquiry, according to a letter sent Tuesday to Democratic leadership from the Department of Defense.

In the letter to the chairmen of the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees, the Pentagon cites a “number of legal and practical concerns” as their reason for not complying. They include the House not officially voting to authorize an impeachment inquiry and that some of the information the House is requesting “appears to consist of confidential Executive Branch communications that are potentially protected by executive privilege.”

This is a shift from just days ago when Esper indicated he was willing to work with Democrats on the inquiry.

Democrats are investigating whether President Donald Trump improperly withheld military aid for Ukraine as leverage to compel Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate former vice president Joe Biden, a potential rival of Trump’s in the 2020 election.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/defense-secretary-mark-esper-will-no-longer-comply-impeachment-inquiry-n1067226

[lagomorph777]

1. Lock him up.

[rurallib]

2. We like building jails in this country - looks like we may need to build

a big one for all the obstructionists.
And while I am usually against privatized prison companies this is one instance where I feel we simply must let the privatized prison companies run the jail.

One orange suit for the Raytheon lobbyist.

Trump will have another "acting" defense secretary tomorrow.

[jayschool2013]

15. These people love their reality TV host so much

I say we create a season of "Naked and Afraid: Northern Alaska" just for them. Start filming in late November.

[DeminPennswoods]

22. Gitmo is available

just sayin'...

[RAB910]

3. When the military no longer answers to civilian oversight we are in BIG trouble

[Baitball Blogger]

4. +1

[RKP5637]

8. Exactly and dangerous. The ass in the WH thinks he's CEO of the US and the military is his

direct line employees.

[iluvtennis]

19. + 1.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Schiff tweeted about this earlier this morning

Link to tweet

TEXT
Adam Schiff
✔
@RepAdamSchiff

The Office of Management and Budget, State Department and the DOD have failed to comply with Congressional subpoenas.

Despite this unprecedented obstruction, we’ve uncovered significant evidence of Trump’s abuse of power.

And we’ll continue to expose the truth.
22.8K
8:36 AM - Oct 16, 2019

[jayschool2013]

16. The rest of his text

"As for these other reticent treasonous motherfu**ers, we'll start locking them up immediately."

is what he forgot to write.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. LOL

[RKP5637]

6. How much more will bullshit like this be put up with. They just flip off the investigation.

It's time to take the gloves off IMO and use whatever recourse is available. It's all, of course, a damn stalling tactic to try to muddle the investigations.

[grumpyduck]

7. Okay, one more time...

What the fuck good is a subpoena if it's not enforceable?

That's what it seems to have come out to: people can just thumb their noses at them and there's nothing Congress can do.

Is there something I don't know?

[RKP5637]

10. Same thoughts here! It's time to quit saying pretty please! n/t

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Congress has historically overseen US Armed Forces

from the days of the Continental Congress when George Washington's dispatches were delivered on horseback. This lack of transparency and cooperation is outrageous and should be impeachable in its own right, even for the Defense Secretary. Congress grants what - $750 billion a year to DOD, and they can't get an answer on what they're doing? This should set off alarm bells in every congressman office! Every one of them!!

[Pachamama]

11. Inherent Contempt

Haul each and every single one of those unpatriotic MOFOs before Congress and sit them down and ask questions.

I also think each and every one of them from AG Barr, to SoS Pompeo to Sec of Energy Perry to etc should all be impeached.

[Texin]

12. I guess the Dems are going to have to send out squads to nab them on the streets.

Seriously. They need to consider using their own version of rendition.

[BlueIdaho]

13. I hope he's packing his bags...

Turns out he is just temp help.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. He wants to keep his job.

But I don't get why anybody wants to keep their job in that administration; I'd consider being fired by Trump for complying with a subpoena to be a badge of honor.

[malthaussen]

17. That was fast.

I'm getting whiplash, how 'bout you?

-- Mal

[NotHardly]

20. This is an extremely dangerous move by DoD, it smells of facism rising in military...

No, I don't think we are there yet, but we are inches away from the US military being a tool of the current Orange Mushroom. Once done, that horse does not get put back in the barn.

Makes you wonder if any of these baboons have ever read the Constitution or the Oath they swore.

[DeminPennswoods]

21. Maybe DoD could do with a lot less money, then

There's no reason 1/4 of the federal budget should go to DoD. This is as good a time as any to start cutting its budget.

[MFGsunny]

23. Like that ancient wisdom of "Money Talks and Bullsh*te Walks."

In this maladministration, it all starts to stink the same.

[real Cannabis calm]

24. K&R