Post by ben on Jul 19, 2017 1:24:46 GMT -5
tl;didn't fit in subject line: Senator Jon Tester grills Indian Health Services director
So I saw the video on Facebook, and of course the context was partisan, all about Yet Another Of Trump's Minions Being An Asshole. But partisanship and the subject matter aside (I knew there were parts of the US Government concerned specifically with "Indians," Native Americans, but not that there was specifically an Indian Health Services division), I wonder about Congressional procedure.
But as I watched it occurred to me that this guy was before Congress, and his professional-politician-sounding non-answers of a repeatedly asked specific and simple question just didn't seem kosher for what is effectively someone testifying in a Congressional meeting/hearing/investigation. The Senator was getting a bit bothered at the non-responses, cutting off the director to re-ask the question and all, then finally giving a longish lecture about how frustrated he was. It occurred to me that this could be Contempt of Congress. So indeed I looked it up and refusal to answer a relevant question is specifically listed as being contempt:
www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_congress
But maybe it's not usually enforced that way, as the guy was there at the table, dressed with appropriate decorum, and "responded verbally" to questions asked. it occurred to me this guy should be running for elected office, rather than being the head of some entity that's supposed to do actual work.
Story and transcript:
www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/14/1680841/-You-need-to-watch-Senator-go-after-Trump-budget-on-official-who-won-t-answer-simple-budget-question
Video on Youtube (five minutes, may be worth the look):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcgGoAcDXvQ
So I saw the video on Facebook, and of course the context was partisan, all about Yet Another Of Trump's Minions Being An Asshole. But partisanship and the subject matter aside (I knew there were parts of the US Government concerned specifically with "Indians," Native Americans, but not that there was specifically an Indian Health Services division), I wonder about Congressional procedure.
But as I watched it occurred to me that this guy was before Congress, and his professional-politician-sounding non-answers of a repeatedly asked specific and simple question just didn't seem kosher for what is effectively someone testifying in a Congressional meeting/hearing/investigation. The Senator was getting a bit bothered at the non-responses, cutting off the director to re-ask the question and all, then finally giving a longish lecture about how frustrated he was. It occurred to me that this could be Contempt of Congress. So indeed I looked it up and refusal to answer a relevant question is specifically listed as being contempt:
www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contempt_of_congress
But maybe it's not usually enforced that way, as the guy was there at the table, dressed with appropriate decorum, and "responded verbally" to questions asked. it occurred to me this guy should be running for elected office, rather than being the head of some entity that's supposed to do actual work.
Story and transcript:
www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/14/1680841/-You-need-to-watch-Senator-go-after-Trump-budget-on-official-who-won-t-answer-simple-budget-question
Video on Youtube (five minutes, may be worth the look):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcgGoAcDXvQ
