Since the release of the Mueller report, Democrats have been toying with the idea of impeaching President Trump, moving the goal posts from collusion with the Russian government to committing obstruction of justice. However, a new talking point has emerged: Trump is involved in a “cover-up.”
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D.Calif., said, “We do believe that it’s important to follow the facts. We believe that no one is above the law, including the president of the United States. And we believe that the president of the United States is engaged in a cover-up.”
The media has been having a free-for-all, taking this shiny new term and milking it for all its worth.
MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace likened this episode to former President Richard Nixon. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer trotted out House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., to agree with the House speaker. And MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell shed light on how Trump is engaged in the cover-up by not turning over documents (including his tax returns), letting aides testify before Congress, and asserting executive privilege on the Mueller report.
Of course, Trump denies this charge.
“Instead of walking in happily into a meeting, I walk in to look at people that have just said that I was doing a cover-up,” Trump told reporters at the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday. “I don’t do cover-ups.”
Pelosi’s use of the term “cover-up” seems to be a calculated move. It’s almost a blanket term that all Democrats can use instead of a term such as “obstruction.” If Democrats can’t move anywhere on a particular investigation, they can say it’s a cover-up. And if they don’t get the desired result out of an investigation, they can hammer home that it’s because it’s a cover-up.
Democrats haven’t been shy about using subpoena power since gaining control of the House. According to the Washington Post, the Trump administration is blocking 20 separate investigations led by House Democrats, including Trump’s tax returns, the Mueller report, and his financial dealings. Trump is blocking aides from testifying before Congress, he asserted executive privilege over the Mueller report, and he even sued both Deutsche Bank and Capital One to get them to not comply with congressional subpoenas.
The goal is to let the courts decide whether the Trump administration has to comply with these subpoenas. But the courts have been a mixed bag for Trump so far.
On issues such as Trump’s watered-down travel ban or his “remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers, the courts have ruled in Trump’s favor. However, the dam is beginning to break on some of these investigations as a federal judge said that Deutsche Bank and Capital One can turn over Trump’s financial records to House Democrats.
Looking at the bigger picture, Democrats are making it clear what their central messaging will be for the 2020 election, regardless of where these investigations lead. They’re pinning their hopes that voters will catch wind of this idea that Trump is spearheading a cover-up, believe he hasn’t been more forthcoming and transparent, and side with Democrats at the ballot box.
