Now that they won, congressional Democrats admit they are out for revenge, writes Rep. Pat Fallon.
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Fallon → win → revenge
Incoming Democrats have been honest about one thing — they plan to abuse their power to settle political scores.
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they → income → scores
By their own words, they're not here to legislate or conduct genuine oversight.
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they → legislate → oversight
They’re here to issue blanket subpoenas and intimidate folks who are not part of the Democratic Machine from serving in government.
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who → ’re → government
In fact, Democrats’ public comments have more in common with practices in Third World banana republics than the America we are familiar with.
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we → have → America
They are going to need to plant new forests for all of the subpoenas we’ll be printing.'
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we → go → subpoenas
The Supreme Court settled this question decades ago: “Investigations conducted solely for the personal aggrandizement of the investigators or to ‘punish’ those investigated are indefensible.”
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Investigations → settle → those
In Watkins v. United States, Chief Justice Earl Warren’s majority opinion drew a clear line: “No inquiry is an end in itself; it must be related to, and in furtherance of, a legitimate task of the Congress.”
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it → draw → Congress
Since 1957, courts have continually ruled that congressional investigations that primarily seek to expose or punish are not a valid legislative function.
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that → rule → 1957
Democrats have been explicit about their wish to investigate and prosecute their political opponents in the past.
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Democrats → investigate → past
This is distinct from using the investigative process for purely legislative means.
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This → use → means
After the past decade of lawfare waged by the left, this behavior is nothing new.
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behavior → wag → left
Let’s review some of the recent comments by members of the incoming Democrat majority.
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’s → review → majority
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.): “If you’re involved in any way with the Trumps, and if you’re part of an American business, you’re going to respond to the Congress.”
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you → involve → Congress
Garcia treats mere association with the 45th President as sufficient to compel disclosure of private business matters.
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Garcia → treat → matters
The case can be made that all 36 million businesses in the country are involved with the executive branch in some capacity.
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businesses → make → capacity
The incoming Oversight Chairman lacks the general authority to expose the private affairs of individuals without justification in terms of the function of Congress.
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Chairman → lack → Congress
Day one, we need to be opening investigations into the heads of every single one of these agencies, and we need to hold them accountable.”
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them → need → agencies
Ocasio-Cortez labels her political targets “criminals” and calls for using the congressional investigative process to hold every agency head accountable.
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head → label → process
This is punishment, as it does not serve a legislative purpose.
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it → serve → purpose
The GOP’s old dogs had better learn some new tricks
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dogs → learn → tricks
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-N.J.): “We’re going to toss out subpoenas like Mardi Gras beads.”
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We → go → beads
Rep. Mejia treats subpoenas as a mass, indiscriminate tool of pressure rather than targeted legislative inquiry.
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Mejia → treat → inquiry
Again, this is using the legislative process as a penalty or sanction against individuals, rather than for a clear legislative purpose.
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this → use → purpose
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.): “They are going to need to plant new forests for all of the subpoenas we’ll be printing.”
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we → go → subpoenas
Markey is no stranger to the legislative process, having served 20 terms in the House and three so far in the Senate.
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Markey → serve → Senate
His statement celebrates the volume of compulsory process as the point, implying burden (as punishment) as the goal.
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statement → celebrate → goal
This practice is not a valid use of legislative investigative powers according to Watkins v. United States.
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practice → accord → States
These direct quotes by congressional Democrats reflect their eagerness to use their elected offices, not for any specific legislative purpose, but to settle scores with their political opponents.
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quotes → reflect → opponents
Democrats are open about their wish to harass or intimidate targets rather than gather facts needed for legislation as a means to generate headlines or political damage.
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Democrats → harass → headlines
Not only would this be unconstitutional, it’s a promise to abuse power, made by the crowd that claims to be “protecting democracy.”
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that → ’ → democracy
Editor's note: A version of this article appeared originally on X.
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version → appear → X.
The Aporia
