Trump and his aides ignore subpoenas in an effort to marginalize Congress.
They ignore congressional subpoenas and refuse to testify before Capitol Hill committees. When they do show up, their disdain is obvious, as they berate and belittle elected representatives. President Donald Trump himself lobs insulting nicknames at Democratic lawmakers, and declared outright that he no longer considers House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, second in line to take Trump’s job, to be the speaker.
Never mind contempt of Congress, a sanction being weighed for members of the Trump administration who refuse to cooperate with House inquiries. Now, the White House and its supporters have turned the tables, brazenly displaying a contempt for Congress. It’s an approach that not only frustrates Congress’ efforts to serve as a check and balance to the executive branch, but marginalizes the authority of the legislative branch with the American people, analysts say.
“They’re trying to delegitimize the House of Representatives. They’re trying to delegitimize our most democratic branch,” says law professor Victoria Nourse, who worked on the Senate Iran-Contra Committee and is now executive director Georgetown Law’s Center on Congressional Studies.