House Democrats vote to subpoena Ivanka Trump's private email and Jared Kushner's WhatsApp messages
Because America needed another email debacle.
The House Oversight Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas of all White House officials' work messages sent through private email accounts and messaging apps. The vote was along party lines, and is likely targeted at Ivanka Trump's private email account, Jared Kushner's WhatsApp messages, and former chief strategist Stephen Bannon's personal cell phone, Politico reports.
Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server for State Department emails was a constant point of contention during President Trump's campaign. But that didn't stop Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump from using her private email account to conduct government business, or her husband and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner from using the messaging app WhatsApp to talk with foreign leaders. Oversight Democrats had pledged to investigate both of those instances and, after the White House refused to hand over the communications, voted along party lines to okay a subpoena for them.
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.
All White House officials are subject to the subpoena Democrats voted to authorize Thursday, which committee Chair Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) characterized as "mak[ing] it clear that White House records belong to the public — not the president," per Politico. Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) meanwhile called the subpoena "an attempt to create an appearance of some type of controversy."
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.
-
How to financially prepare for divorceThe Explainer Facing ‘irreconcilable differences’ does not have to be financially devastating
-
Why it’s important to shop around for a mortgage and what to look forThe Explainer You can save big by comparing different mortgage offers
-
4 ways to save on rising health care costsThe Explainer Health care expenses are part of an overall increase in the cost of living for Americans
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
