What gives Congress the authority to issue subpoenas?

Question

They're not the Judicial Branch. How can Congress hold hearings, issue subpoenas, and charge for perjury?

Answer 1

It's part of their Constitutional powers, under Article I Section 8. Also Congress has statutory authority, since 1857. See Title 2 Chapter 6 of the United States Code.

The Supreme Court has confirmed this authority for at least the past 70 years, with the most recent being Eastland v. United States Servicemen's Fund, 421 U.S. 491 (1975).

Answer 2

It is called "congressional oversight"; basically, Congress has the right to oversee the Executive Branch, and hold hearings on such accusations. In these "hearings", they are allowed to compell witnesses and others to testify by issuing subpoenas.

Answer 3

They have the authority it is just that they are now using it for political reasons more than ever before by going after people who they have no reason to go after. They dont want to talk to these aides behind closed doors because it isnt about getting information but about putting on a show spectacle- pure politics at its worst.

Answer 4

Good Question! Is it sort of like how a president gets us into a war, when the constitution clearly states congress must declare war, not the president? (The Vietnam War was never declared a war but was termed a "police action"!)
This is a common constitutional violation by the executive branch.... I suppose that we have here a common violation by congress!

Answer 5

united states of america v. NIXON, 418 U.S. 683 (1974) must be differentiated from the present case for countless reasons. First, Nixon in touch a supboena from the particular prosecutor (government branch) in a criminal count; 2d, the court in Nixon allowed an in digital camera inspection of the climate, not a blanket supboena. meaning the choose would assessment the information to verify what became mandatory for the criminal examine in the past any tips became released. interior the present case, the supboena would be issued via Congress. there is not any question the tips would be released to the regular public in very short order as quickly as Congress has it. the point of government privilege is to permit the President to seek for advice and tips of his closest aides with out worry of the tips being uncovered. as an occasion, think the administration seen a pre-emptive strike against North Korea and desperate against it. would you go with that tips being released to the regular public? of path not, it ought to threaten our national secure practices. extra importantly, it would have a chilling result on those giving advice to the President. would you go with to be the single that had to modern figures of available US casualties? as quickly as that hit the click you will continuously be tagged with that assessment. Such tips is mandatory to evaluate recommendations. it truly is comparable to legal professional-shopper privilege. in many situations, it truly is legal professional-shopper privilege for the reason that many attorneys paintings for the President on a on an usually going on basis foundation and he's in many situations searching for legal advice. To take this tips and politicize it would be unfavorable to the useful function of government. There are not any situations that have desperate government privilege in this occasion as a results of fact it has traditionally been respected via the two facets. nonetheless, government privilege does not advise that the President does not ought to offer any tips to Congress. Presidents usually attempt to declare a vast government privilege to avert turning over any tips to Congress in a scandal. interior the present case there is easily tips which isn't privileged and to which we are all entitled. Absent a compromise, a federal court would be charged with determining what must be became over and what shouldn't. (The ideally suited court won't get into the nuts and bolts of what's and isn't privileged, it is going to in elementary terms define the scope of the privilege and pass away it to a decrease court to return to a variety what fits interior of its definition).

Answer 6

The 3rd Armored. Their control of money and power gets them the influence and connections, aka "authority", to make it happen, regardless of if they're supposed to have it.

Answer 7

I don't know. Maybe it's the same thing that gave Dick Cheney the authority to disobey the law and run around like a crazy person. :)

Answer 8

The US Constitution gives them the right. But then again -- BusHitler called the Constitution "just a piece of paper."

Answer 9

Its all in the Constitution. Seperation of powers.

Answer 10

constitution, it is there checks on the other two branches of gov't.