Democrats asked 81 Trump affiliates for documents — but not Ivanka. Here's why.
House Democrats served up document requests to nearly everyone affiliated with President Trump and his campaign on Monday. Well, everyone except Ivanka Trump.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler's (D-N.Y.) request is part of what he calls a plan to "build the public record" of potential "obstruction of justice," "public corruption," and "abuses of power" in the Trump administration. He's looking for payments between National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and Trump, translation records of Trump's discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and a whole bunch of things from Trump's two eldest sons.
Both Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.'s requests specifically seek any ties between foreign entities and Ivanka or her businesses, but Democrats didn't ask her for documents as well. That prompted CNN to ask Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) if, like another Democrat reportedly said, Democrats are worried the "optics of grilling the president's daughter would backfire." Kelly disputed that idea, saying that, if handled "in a methodical way," she wasn't "sure" if requesting documents from Ivanka "would backfire."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
One Democrat, Rep. Gerry Connolly (Va.), did mirror that language in telling CNN last week the "optics" of "compelling testimony from members of the [Trump] family ... could backfire." But Connolly didn't single out Ivanka, except to say the two Trump sons are already under investigation in the Southern District of New York, and that "it may be better to let that play out" before the House talks to them.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
5 capitulating cartoons about the Democrat's shutdown surrenderCartoons Artists take on Democrat's folding, flag-waving, and more
-
How are these Epstein files so damaging to Trump?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As Republicans and Democrats release dueling tranches of Epstein-related documents, the White House finds itself caught in a mess partially of its own making
-
Margaret Atwood’s memoir, intergenerational trauma and the fight to make spousal rape a crime: Welcome to November booksThe Week Recommends This month's new releases include ‘Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts’ by Margaret Atwood, ‘Cursed Daughters’ by Oyinkan Braithwaite and 'Without Consent' by Sarah Weinman
-
Trump DOJ sues to block California redistrictingSpeed Read California’s new congressional map was drawn by Democrats to flip Republican-held House seats
-
GOP retreats from shutdown deal payout provisionSpeed Read Senators are distancing themselves from a controversial provision in the new government funding package
-
Catholic bishops rebuke Trump on immigrationSpeed Read ‘We feel compelled’ to ‘raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity,’ the bishops said
-
House releases Epstein emails referencing TrumpSpeed Read The emails suggest Trump knew more about Epstein’s sex trafficking of underage women than he has claimed
-
Newsom slams Trump’s climate denial at COP30speed read Trump, who has called climate change a ‘hoax,’ declined to send any officials to this week’s summit
-
UK, Colombia halt intel to US over boat attacksSpeed Read Both countries have suspended intelligence sharing with the US over the bombing of civilian boats suspected of drug smuggling
-
Trump pardons 2020 fake electors, other GOP alliesSpeed Read The president pardoned Rudy Giuliani and more who tried to overturn his 2020 election loss
-
Supreme Court to decide on mail-in ballot limitsSpeed Read The court will determine whether states can count mail-in ballots received after Election Day
