House Oversight Committee issues subpoenas in security clearances and census investigations
The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday served four subpoenas as part of its investigations into the White House's security clearance process and the Trump administration's attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
A whistleblower from the White House Personnel Security Office told Congress that career officials in her department rejected dozens of White House security clearances, but they were overruled in 25 cases. One of the subpoenas was served to former White House Personnel Security Director Carl Kline, and the committee's chairman, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), said he hopes "this is the last subpoena we need to issue on this topic and that the White House agrees to cooperate, to schedule interviews for the next four officials we want to interview, and to turn over the documents we have been seeking for months."
The other three subpoenas stem from the White House wanting to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, and were served to Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Gore for his testimony and Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for documents. "The committee is trying to determine the real reason Secretary Ross added the citizenship question, and the documents and testimony covered by these subpoenas are critical to answering that question," Cummings said.
Subscribe to 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.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
A new investigation has put the spotlight on roadside zoos
In the Spotlight Over 150 allegations against these zoos have been made over the past decade
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
NASA's Europa Clipper blasts off, seeking an ocean
Speed Read The ship is headed toward Jupiter on a yearslong journey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Man arrested as threats on FEMA hinder Helene relief
Speed Read The agency temporarily suspended door-to-door operations as a result of the threats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Man arrested as threats on FEMA hinder Helene relief
Speed Read The agency temporarily suspended door-to-door operations as a result of the threats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Arizona kicks off swing-state early voting
Speed Read The voting began with less than a month to go before the presidential election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Netanyahu talk ahead of Israeli hit on Iran
Speed Read The pair spoke for the first time since August
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump kept up with Putin, sent Covid tests, book says
Speed Read The revelation comes courtesy of a new book by Bob Woodward
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Liz Cheney campaigns with Harris in Wisconsin
Speed Read The pair does not agree on much politically, but they share an anti-Trump stance
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Harris visit storm-hit North Carolina, Georgia
Speed Read President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took separate tours of the south to view the catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Jack Smith filing details Jan. 6 case against Trump
Speed Read The special counsel's newly unsealed brief argues Trump is not immune from prosecution and gives new details on his efforts to overturn the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published