Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., vowed Sunday to exercise his powers responsibly should he become House Oversight Committee chairman in the next Congress after President Trump last week warned he would adopt a “warlike posture” toward House Democrats if they use their House new majority to investigate him.
“I’m not one to war with anyone,” Cummings said during an interview with ABC News’ “This Week.” “What I am going to do is do what the American people said they wanted us to do through this election, even in Trump country. They basically are saying that we want transparency, we want honesty, and we want integrity. But they want something else: They want accountability with regard to this president.”
Rep. Elijah Cummings on Trump’s threats to Democrats planning to investigate him: “I’m not one to war with anyone. What I am going to do is do what the American people said they wanted us to do … they want accountability with regard to this president” https://t.co/P6iz1j1VA4 pic.twitter.com/GE12hoY7YO
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 11, 2018
Cummings, who is the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee and is likely to take over as chairman next Congress after the Democrats sezied control of the lower chamber in the 2018 midterm elections, listed “possible violations” of the emoluments clause and “voter suppression” efforts as among his priorities.
But the Maryland Democrat promised to exercise caution with subpoena power, indicating his openness to sharing the ability to compel witnesses to testify before congressional investigators with Republicans on his panel “to a certain degree.”
“I’m not going to be handing out subpoenas like somebody’s handing out candy on Halloween,” Cummings said. “As a lawyer and as an officer of the court, I take subpoenas very seriously. And I plan to, if I have to use them, they will be used in a methodical way and it must be in the public interest.”
Rep. Elijah Cummings on investigating the Trump administration: “I’m not going to be handing out subpoenas like somebody’s handing out candy on Halloween … if I have to use them they will be used in a methodical way and it must be in the public interest” https://t.co/P6iz1j1VA4 pic.twitter.com/dGLTMAp3Ze
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 11, 2018
Trump has repeatedly threatened to take a “warlike posture” against House Democrats should they probe him or his administration for political gain.
