House Democrats and Republicans battled over the recently released Justice Department's IG report on the FBI and the 2016 election during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday.

The report, authored by Michael Horowitz, blasted FBI actions during the 2016 investigation into whether Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, had mishandled classified information on her private email server when she was secretary of state.

Republicans have become increasingly skeptical of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump's Republican presidential campaign.

They've been saying they're not convinced by the report's conclusion that the decision to spare Clinton from criminal charges was free from bias, or by reassurances that the problems were limited to just a handful of employees

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second," said Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation," said Republican colleague Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.

"It confirms that Mrs Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation," Goodlatte said.

Democrats, however, battled back.

"Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we opened an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?" said Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.

"The Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this," added Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.   

Monday, Horowitz appeared with FBI Director Christoper Wray before a senate panel.

Wray said that the FBI is determined to not repeat any of the mistakes identified in the watchdog report.

Days earlier, President Donald Trump asserted the report exonerated him.

"There was no collusion.  There was no obstruction," the president told reporters. "And I think that the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited."

Although the report criticized former FBI Director James Comey for multiple decisions that investigators said broke from protocol. But the inspector general said it found no evidence that political bias affected the outcome of the investigation.

And the report focused only on the FBI's actions during the 2016 election, not the Mueller investigation.

POOL

Washington, DC - 19 June 2018

1. Wide of House lawmakers on dais at hearing

2. Mid of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz at witness table

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Trey Gowdy, (R) South Carolina

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second. They prejudged the outcome of the Hillary Clinton investigation before the investigation ended, and these exact same FBI agents and attorneys prejudged the outcome of the Russian investigation before it even began."

4. Mid of lawmakers on dais

5. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York

"Why is it that after the Department of Justice and the FBI concluded they should not charge Secretary Clinton with a crime, rather than accepting the conclusion as we would in most criminal cases, the judiciary and oversight majorities launched an investigation into the Department of Justice and the FBI? Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we open an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?"

7. Mid of lawmakers on dais

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Bob Goodlatte, (R) Virginia

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation. It confirms that Mrs. Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation."

9. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland:

"The Republicans point to some individual expressions of bias, and these are facts the inspector general already revealed. Instead the Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this."  

11. Wide of lawmakers on dais

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus099334

House Democrats and Republicans battled over the recently released Justice Department's IG report on the FBI and the 2016 election during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday.

The report, authored by Michael Horowitz, blasted FBI actions during the 2016 investigation into whether Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, had mishandled classified information on her private email server when she was secretary of state.

Republicans have become increasingly skeptical of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump's Republican presidential campaign.

They've been saying they're not convinced by the report's conclusion that the decision to spare Clinton from criminal charges was free from bias, or by reassurances that the problems were limited to just a handful of employees

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second," said Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation," said Republican colleague Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.

"It confirms that Mrs Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation," Goodlatte said.

Democrats, however, battled back.

"Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we opened an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?" said Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.

"The Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this," added Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.   

Monday, Horowitz appeared with FBI Director Christoper Wray before a senate panel.

Wray said that the FBI is determined to not repeat any of the mistakes identified in the watchdog report.

Days earlier, President Donald Trump asserted the report exonerated him.

"There was no collusion.  There was no obstruction," the president told reporters. "And I think that the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited."

Although the report criticized former FBI Director James Comey for multiple decisions that investigators said broke from protocol. But the inspector general said it found no evidence that political bias affected the outcome of the investigation.

And the report focused only on the FBI's actions during the 2016 election, not the Mueller investigation.

POOL

Washington, DC - 19 June 2018

+++WHITE FLASHES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Trey Gowdy, (R) South Carolina +++SOT PARTIALLY COVERED WITH BROLL+++

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second. They prejudged the outcome of the Hillary Clinton investigation before the investigation ended, and these exact same FBI agents and attorneys prejudged the outcome of the Russian investigation before it even began."

2. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York +++SOT PARTIALLY COVERED WITH BROLL+++

"Why is it that after the Department of Justice and the FBI concluded they should not charge Secretary Clinton with a crime, rather than accepting the conclusion as we would in most criminal cases, the judiciary and oversight majorities launched an investigation into the Department of Justice and the FBI? Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we open an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?"

4. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Bob Goodlatte, (R) Virginia

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation. It confirms that Mrs. Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation."  

+++WHITE FLASH+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland:

"The Republicans point to some individual expressions of bias, and these are facts the inspector general already revealed. Instead the Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this."

House Democrats and Republicans battled over the recently released Justice Department's IG report on the FBI and the 2016 election during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday.

The report, authored by Michael Horowitz, blasted FBI actions during the 2016 investigation into whether Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, had mishandled classified information on her private email server when she was secretary of state.

Republicans have become increasingly skeptical of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and Trump's Republican presidential campaign.

They've been saying they're not convinced by the report's conclusion that the decision to spare Clinton from criminal charges was free from bias, or by reassurances that the problems were limited to just a handful of employees

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second," said Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation," said Republican colleague Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.

"It confirms that Mrs Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation," Goodlatte said.

Democrats, however, battled back.

"Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we opened an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?" said Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler.

"The Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this," added Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.   

Monday, Horowitz appeared with FBI Director Christoper Wray before a senate panel.

Wray said that the FBI is determined to not repeat any of the mistakes identified in the watchdog report.

Days earlier, President Donald Trump asserted the report exonerated him.

"There was no collusion.  There was no obstruction," the president told reporters. "And I think that the Mueller investigation has been totally discredited."

Although the report criticized former FBI Director James Comey for multiple decisions that investigators said broke from protocol. But the inspector general said it found no evidence that political bias affected the outcome of the investigation.

And the report focused only on the FBI's actions during the 2016 election, not the Mueller investigation.

POOL

Washington, DC - 19 June 2018

1. Wide of House lawmakers on dais at hearing

2. Mid of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz at witness table

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Trey Gowdy, (R) South Carolina

"There were FBI agents and attorneys who decided to prejudge the outcome of the Hillary Clinton case before the investigation ended. I want you let that sink in for a second. They prejudged the outcome of the Hillary Clinton investigation before the investigation ended, and these exact same FBI agents and attorneys prejudged the outcome of the Russian investigation before it even began."

4. Mid of lawmakers on dais

5. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York

"Why is it that after the Department of Justice and the FBI concluded they should not charge Secretary Clinton with a crime, rather than accepting the conclusion as we would in most criminal cases, the judiciary and oversight majorities launched an investigation into the Department of Justice and the FBI? Why is it that after you released this report, Mr. Horowitz, some of my colleagues seriously suggested that we open an investigation into your investigation, of the investigation?"

7. Mid of lawmakers on dais

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Bob Goodlatte, (R) Virginia

"The IG's report has spawned more questions and more theories about the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Clinton investigation. It confirms that Mrs. Clinton did in fact receive special treatment from the Obama Justice Department and FBI during their investigation."

9. Mid of Horowitz at witness table

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Elijah Cummings, (D) Maryland:

"The Republicans point to some individual expressions of bias, and these are facts the inspector general already revealed. Instead the Republicans are now tripling down threatening to impeach Rod Rosenstein and Christopher Wray for somehow obstructing their efforts to get to the bottom of all of this."  

11. Wide of lawmakers on dais

Democrats launched a sweeping new probe of President Donald Trump on Monday, an aggressive investigation that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season with inquiries into his White House, campaign and family businesses.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House committee that would be in charge of impeachment says the panel is requesting documents Monday from more than 60 people from Trump's administration, family and business as part of a rapidly expanding Russia investigation. The panel sent document requests to 81 people linked to the president and his associates.

Maryland Democrat, Jamie Raskin, who is a member of the committee said, "There is a lot of criminality which has already been attested to by one witness, Michael Cohen. But we want to hear from lots more witnesses and we want to get a lot more documentary evidence."  

The broad investigation could be setting the stage for an impeachment effort, although Democratic leaders have pledged to investigate all avenues and review special counsel Robert Mueller's report before trying any drastic action.

"If it leads to impeachment because there is evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors that actually undermine the fabric of our constitutional democracy, then so be it. Then that's something, we'll have to do," said Raskin.

President Donald Trump said he'll cooperate with the House Judiciary Committee's sweeping investigation into his White House, campaign and businesses, but when a reporter asked him Monday if he was going to cooperate with the investigation led by Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, Trump replied: "I cooperate all the time with everybody. You know, the beautiful thing, no collusion. It's all a hoax."

Raskin said the response of "no collusion" is a "red herring."  

"What we're looking for is public corruption and crimes against the republic," said Raskin.

++GRAPHICS COVER VIDEO++

Washington - 4 March 2019

1. Graphic of names of people sent letters by House Judiciary Commitee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The House Judiciary Committee has sent out document requests to 81 different individuals who have information relevant to our investigation into abuse of power, obstruction of justice and other potential crimes at the White House.

Washington - 27 February 2019

3. Various of Michael Cohen at House Oversight hearing

Washington - 4 March 2019

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"There is a lot of criminality which has already been attested to by one witness, Michael Cohen. But we want to hear from lots more witnesses and we want to get a lot more documentary evidence. Michael Cohen provided a lot of documentary evidence ... But we think that there's a lot more documentary evidence out there of the potential corruption and lawlessness in the administration."

Washington - 28 February 2019

5. Michael Cohen walks through U.S. Capitol

Washington - 4 March 2019

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"(Reporter: Mr. President, are you going to cooperate with Mr. Nadler (Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee)?

"I cooperate all the time with everybody. And you know the beautiful thing, no collusion, it's all a hoax."

Washington - 4 March 2019

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland: (Responding to Trump and Republican's defense that there is no collusion"

"If there's no collusion, they've got nothing to worry about. But in any event, collusion is not even a legal term. That's kind of a red herring of their own creation. What we're looking for is public corruption and crimes against the republic.

Washington - 26 June 2018.

8. Nadler and Raskin at hearing

Washington - 4 March 2019

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"None of us is beginning with the idea that this is about impeaching the president. If the president is not impeached, we still need to know all of this and we need to act effectively to end the corruption and the lawlessness. But if it leads to impeachment because there is evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors that actually undermine the fabric of our constitutional democracy, then so be it. Then that's something, we'll have to do. But I've had the thought from the beginning that impeachment should not be a fetish with anybody nor should it be a taboo."

Washington - 8 February 2019

10. Rep. Doug Collins (right) at a hearing with Rep. Jerrold Nadler

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus125740

A judge has ordered the Justice Department to give the House secret grand jury testimony from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, handing a victory to Democrats as they gather evidence for the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

In a Friday ruling that also affirmed the legality of the impeachment inquiry itself, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ordered the department to turn over the materials by Oct. 30.

A Justice Department spokeswoman said it was reviewing the decision. The administration can appeal.

"We think that the courts are going to continue to stand by our power to obtain the information we need, both as a matter of general oversight, but also as a matter of the House of Representatives conducting an impeachment inquiry, US Congressman Jamie Raskin said.

Raskin spoke to reporters on Capitol Hill, as the Democrats' inquiry continued at full speed Saturday with a rare weekend session.

Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for Europe, testified behind closed doors.

The ruling in favor of the House Judiciary Committee comes as Democrats gather closed-door testimony from current and former government officials about the Trump administration's efforts to get Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden.

The Mueller materials could reveal previously hidden details to lawmakers about Trump's actions during the 2016 election and become part of the impeachment push.

The material covered by Howell's order consists of redacted grand jury testimony mentioned in Mueller's report.

The Justice Department says that information is the only piece of the document that key lawmakers have not had access to.

Democrats believe the still-redacted information could shed new light on key episodes of the investigation, including discussions Trump is reported to have had with associates about the release of stolen emails during the campaign and conversations about a 2016 Trump Tower meeting at which Trump's eldest son expected to receive damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

The judge said the materials could help lawmakers as they decide which witnesses to call for an impeachment inquiry and what additional lines of investigation should be pursued.

On Saturday, Trump tweeted that he's "not concerned with the impeachment scam. I am not because I did nothing wrong."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

POOL

Washington, DC - 26 October 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The court case yesterday was a huge victory for the American people and for our Constitution. The single best line in the whole case, as it appeared on page two where Judge Chief Judge Beryl Howell says the Department of Justice is wrong. Essentially, what the court found is that we have the right to obtain the grand jury materials that Attorney General Barr wanted to block from us. We have a right to define the impeachment process the way we wanted to define it. And there's nothing wrong with what we've done."

++WHITE FLASH++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The U.S. District Court said the impeachment inquiry is lawful. It's constitutional. It is completely within the power of the House of Representatives. Article 1 says that the House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment. And it's up to us to define our rules. And so we have defined the rules following what the Republicans have always done in terms of the committees when they're in power. And so we saw this frivolous and absurd complaint this week that there's something illegitimate about the process. The United States District Court flatly rejected that. The court said that -- I think it's it's a three-word sentence -- DOJ is wrong."

++WHITE FLASH++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"We think that the courts are going to continue to stand by our power to obtain the information we need, both as a matter of general oversight, but also as a matter of the House of Representatives conducting an impeachment inquiry. And Chief Judge Beryl Howell put to rest yesterday any claim that we are not in an impeachment inquiry, we most emphatically are in an impeachment inquiry."

The head of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters, says Congressional Democrats are prepared to fight President Donald Trump "tooth and nail" to gain access to information her and other House committees have requested.

Trump, his family and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Capital One in an attempt to block congressional subpoenas seeking their banking and financial records.

The lawsuit by Trump, sons Donald Jr. and Eric and daughter Ivanka was filed Monday in federal court in New York. The Trump Organization and the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust are among the other plaintiffs.

Two House committees subpoenaed Deutsche Bank and several other financial institutions earlier this month as part of investigations into the Republican president's finances.

The lawsuit comes as Trump is engaged in a struggle with House Democrats as they seek to investigate him and his administration on multiple fronts.

In many ways, House Democrats are trying to have it both ways - pursuing the investigations that could serve as a prelude to impeachment proceedings without taking the politically fraught step of calling it impeachment.

On Tuesday, some Democrats stopped short of calling for impeachment.

"I think that right now we're just staring at the challenge in front of our face, which is how do we enforce the subpoenas," said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi.

"I think the courts, including the Supreme Court, have upheld Congress' right to investigate, issue subpoenas and hold people in contempt so if they want to litigate, we'll see them in court."

Washington - 30 April 2019

++EDIT STARTS AND ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

++AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING++

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Maxine Waters, (D) California:  

"The president of the United States continues in his resistance to any and all investigations. Yes, he's filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Capital One and trying to prevent them from cooperating with us and giving us the documents that we have requested. You know whether it is refusing to sit down in an interview with Mueller or whether it is, you know, constantly obstructing justice by trying to stop testimonies and stop people from cooperating or whether it's filing a lawsuit, he obviously has something to hide. He is obviously afraid that we are going to learn more about his relationships with Deutsche Bank, more about his bankruptcies, perhaps, more about whether or not there is money laundering that's been involved in some ways. We have enough information. And we have enough to help us to guide us to moving forward with these subpoenas. ... We are prepared to fight tooth and nail. The president has cast a gauntlet. He's prepared to fight us tooth and nail. And we're prepared to fight him back."

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Maxine Waters, (D) California:  

" I think that all of the information that we were able to unveil about the president will help Americans to come to a decision about whether or not you should be impeached."

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Maxine Waters, (D) California:  

"The relationship with Deutsche Bank is unusual. Why would they lend him billions of dollars? He filed a lawsuit against them. No other bank would lend him money but they have done so. And why? Why is this happening? I think we need to find out."

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The president has escalated the conflict with Congress. The obstructionism that we read about in the Mueller report has come galloping off the pages and right on to our front door step. The president's refusing to cooperate with the Ways and Means Committee, with the Judiciary Committee, with Oversight Committee, with the Finance Committee and members are unhappy."

5. Raskin walks away

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, (D) Illinois: (responding to reporter question on whether Democrats are closer to deciding to move forward on impeachment)

"I don't think so. I think that right now we're just staring at the challenge in front of our face, which is how do we enforce the subpoenas? I think the courts, including the Supreme Court, have upheld the Congress' right to investigate, issue subpoenas and hold people in contempt so if they want to litigate, we'll see them in court."

The head of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters, says Congressional Democrats are prepared to fight President Donald Trump "tooth and nail" to gain access to information her and other House committees have requested.

Trump, his family and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Capital One in an attempt to block congressional subpoenas seeking their banking and financial records.

The lawsuit by Trump, sons Donald Jr. and Eric and daughter Ivanka was filed Monday in federal court in New York. The Trump Organization and the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust are among the other plaintiffs.

Two House committees subpoenaed Deutsche Bank and several other financial institutions earlier this month as part of investigations into the Republican president's finances.

The lawsuit comes as Trump is engaged in a struggle with House Democrats as they seek to investigate him and his adminstration on multiple fronts.

In many ways, House Democrats are trying to have it both ways - pursuing the investigations that could serve as a prelude to impeachment proceedings without taking the politically fraught step of calling it impeachment.

On Tuesday, some Democrats stopped short of calling for impeachment.

"I think that right now we're just staring at the challenge in front of our face, which is how do we enforce the subpoenas," said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. "I think the courts, including the Supreme Court, have upheld Congress' right to investigate, issue subpoenas and hold people in contempt so if they want to litigate, we'll see them in court."

Washington - 30 April 2019

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Maxine Waters, (D) California:  

"The president of the United States continues in his resistance to any and all investigations. Yes, he's filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Capital One and trying to prevent them from cooperating with us and giving us the documents that we have requested. You know whether it is refusing to sit down in an interview with Mueller or whether it is, you know, constantly obstructing justice by trying to stop testimonies and stop people from cooperating or whether it's filing a lawsuit, he obviously has something to hide. He is obviously afraid that we are going to learn more about his relationships with Deutsche Bank, more about his bankruptcies, perhaps, more about whether or not there is money laundering that's been involved in some ways. We have enough information. And we have enough to help us to guide us to moving forward with these subpoenas. ... We are prepared to fight tooth and nail. The president has cast the gauntlet. He's prepared to fight us tooth and nail. And we're prepared to fight him back."

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"I think the president has escalated the conflict with Congress. The obstructionism that we read about in the Mueller report has come galloping off the pages and right on to our front door step. The president's refusing to cooperate with the Ways and Means Committee, with the Judiciary Committee, with Oversight Committee, with the Finance Committee and members are unhappy."

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, (D) Illinois: (responding to reporter question on whether Democrats are closer to deciding to move forward on impeachment)

"I don't think so. I think that right now we're just staring at the challenge in front of our face, which is how do we enforce the subpoenas. I think the courts, including the Supreme Court, have upheld Congress' right to investigate, issue subpoenas and hold people in contempt so if they want to litigate, we'll see them in court."

The head of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Maxine Waters, says Congressional Democrats are prepared to fight President Donald Trump "tooth and nail" to gain access to information her and other House committees have requested.

Trump, his family and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Capital One in an attempt to block congressional subpoenas seeking their banking and financial records.

The lawsuit by Trump, sons Donald Jr. and Eric and daughter Ivanka was filed Monday in federal court in New York. The Trump Organization and the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust are among the other plaintiffs.

Two House committees subpoenaed Deutsche Bank and several other financial institutions earlier this month as part of investigations into the Republican president's finances.

The lawsuit comes as Trump is engaged in a struggle with House Democrats as they seek to investigate him and his administration on multiple fronts.

In many ways, House Democrats are trying to have it both ways - pursuing the investigations that could serve as a prelude to impeachment proceedings without taking the politically fraught step of calling it impeachment.

On Tuesday, some Democrats stopped short of calling for impeachment.

"I think that right now we're just staring at the challenge in front of our face, which is how do we enforce the subpoenas," said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi.

"I think the courts, including the Supreme Court, have upheld Congress' right to investigate, issue subpoenas and hold people in contempt so if they want to litigate, we'll see them in court."

Washington - 30 April 2019

++EDIT STARTS AND ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

++AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING++

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Maxine Waters, (D) California:  

"The president of the United States continues in his resistance to any and all investigations. Yes, he's filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Capital One and trying to prevent them from cooperating with us and giving us the documents that we have requested. You know whether it is refusing to sit down in an interview with Mueller or whether it is, you know, constantly obstructing justice by trying to stop testimonies and stop people from cooperating or whether it's filing a lawsuit, he obviously has something to hide. He is obviously afraid that we are going to learn more about his relationships with Deutsche Bank, more about his bankruptcies, perhaps, more about whether or not there is money laundering that's been involved in some ways. We have enough information. And we have enough to help us to guide us to moving forward with these subpoenas. ... We are prepared to fight tooth and nail. The president has cast a gauntlet. He's prepared to fight us tooth and nail. And we're prepared to fight him back."

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Maxine Waters, (D) California:  

" I think that all of the information that we were able to unveil about the president will help Americans to come to a decision about whether or not you should be impeached."

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Maxine Waters, (D) California:  

"The relationship with Deutsche Bank is unusual. Why would they lend him billions of dollars? He filed a lawsuit against them. No other bank would lend him money but they have done so. And why? Why is this happening? I think we need to find out."

++SOTS SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D) Maryland:

"The president has escalated the conflict with Congress. The obstructionism that we read about in the Mueller report has come galloping off the pages and right on to our front door step. The president's refusing to cooperate with the Ways and Means Committee, with the Judiciary Committee, with Oversight Committee, with the Finance Committee and members are unhappy."

5. Raskin walks away

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, (D) Illinois: (responding to reporter question on whether Democrats are closer to deciding to move forward on impeachment)

"I don't think so. I think that right now we're just staring at the challenge in front of our face, which is how do we enforce the subpoenas? I think the courts, including the Supreme Court, have upheld the Congress' right to investigate, issue subpoenas and hold people in contempt so if they want to litigate, we'll see them in court."

Calls appear to be growing among House Democrats for an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump after former White House Counsel Don McGahn skipped a Judiciary Committee hearing on the Mueller report at the direction of the White House.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler gaveled open the hearing with an empty witness chair and a stern warning that McGahn will be held in contempt for failing to appear in defiance of the committee's subpoena..

"I see a lot more people that believe that impeachable offenses occurred and would like to see an impeachment inquiry," said Tennessee Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen.

"In the next 48 hours, I'll be introducing a resolution of investigation," said Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a second panel member.

"We are doing the right thing by investigating, and that our task is to educate before we activate," she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, backed by Nadler, is taking a step-by-step approach to the confrontations with Trump.

Nadler said the committee would vote to hold McGahn in contempt, and take the issue to court.

But Pelosi's strategy hasn't been swift enough for some members of the Judiciary panel who feel Democrats should be more aggressive and launch a formal impeachment inquiry as they try to get information from the administration.

Impeachment hearings would give Democrats more standing in court and could stop short of a vote to remove the president.

The issue was raised in a meeting among top Democrats Monday evening, where some members confronted Pelosi about it, according to three people familiar with the private conversation who requested anonymity to discuss it.

GOP Rep. Doug Collins, the ranking Republican on the committee, accused Democrats of rushing to issue subpoenas and abusing the judiciary panel's oversight responsibilities.

"Right now, they've whipped it into a frenzy because they don't want to have accommodation," Collins said.

Washington, DC - 21 May 2019

+++STARTS AND ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE+++

+++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Steve Cohen, (D) Tennessee:

"Mr. Amash (The House Republican who recently said President Trump committed impeachable offenses) was correct. It's good that he read the Mueller Report. We all need to read the Muller report. I have read the Muller report. It's a clear statement of misdeeds and illegal behavior by the president this administration which continues to this day and not allowing us to have witnesses come to the American people and let the American people know what went on."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Steve Cohen, (D) Tennessee:

"I see a lot more people that believe that impeachable offenses occurred and would like to see an impeachment inquiry. They'd also like to see, as Speaker Pelosi would, that all the committees of jurisdiction proceed, and get all the information they need. But there's been a stonewalling by the administration of subpoenas, and the production of documents. Basically a cover-up. a la Richard Nixon."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Steve Cohen, (D) Tennessee:

"I think Speaker Pelosi is looking out for the interests of the American people for democracy for truth and for the rule of law. She has a different way of getting there than I do. I wish we thought similarly."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, (D) Texas

"Today, in the next 48 hours, I'll be introducing a resolution of investigation. The opening comments in that resolution says that the Judiciary Committee will investigate whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise the power by Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5 of the Constitution, in respect to acts of impeachment of the president of the United States. We believe and continue to believe that we are doing the right thing by investigating, and that our task is to educate before we activate."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia

"The committee is basically at a time when they're undermining the very work of the committee. I'm someone who believes that congressional oversight, it's something we need to have, it is something that is very valuable, something that we have done for 200 plus years. However, when you abuse that process, when you abuse the committee process, as we have seen this year by rushing to subpoenas, not taking their accommodation process, and we've seen this from day one."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia

"He talked about the parts that were salacious that he wanted to get out, but he didn't talk about the findings of the fact, very plainly in the text; no collusion, and there was no charged obstruction."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia

"In areas where a legitimate oversight is happening, there is been cooperation between the administration, and between the committees of jurisdiction up on the Hill. The issue is coming is when they're rushing to speak, especially in our committee, and I'll speak only to the Judiciary committee, when we're no accommodation process. Nothing that we've seen before. When we saw it under George Bush administration, we saw it under President Obama's administration. This is a process, and I had a question a couple weeks ago. Somebody said, do you believe that this is all going to hinder Congress ability to do its job? No this is the way Congress has always done its job. But right now they've whipped it into a frenzy because they don't want to have accommodation because they want to rush straight from their one talking point that he did something wrong, we don't like it, to an end result, and it won't do anything else."

Calls appear to be growing among House Democrats for an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump after former White House Counsel Don McGahn skipped a Judiciary Committee hearing on the Mueller report at the direction of the White House.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler gaveled open the hearing with an empty witness chair and a stern warning that McGahn will be held in contempt for failing to appear in defiance of the committee's subpoena..

"I see a lot more people that believe that impeachable offenses occurred and would like to see an impeachment inquiry," said Tennessee Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen.

"In the next 48 hours, I'll be introducing a resolution of investigation," said Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a second panel member.

"We are doing the right thing by investigating, and that our task is to educate before we activate," she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, backed by Nadler, is taking a step-by-step approach to the confrontations with Trump.

Nadler said the committee would vote to hold McGahn in contempt, and take the issue to court.

But Pelosi's strategy hasn't been swift enough for some members of the Judiciary panel who feel Democrats should be more aggressive and launch a formal impeachment inquiry as they try to get information from the administration.

Impeachment hearings would give Democrats more standing in court and could stop short of a vote to remove the president.

The issue was raised in a meeting among top Democrats Monday evening, where some members confronted Pelosi about it, according to three people familiar with the private conversation who requested anonymity to discuss it.

GOP Rep. Doug Collins, the ranking Republican on the committee, accused Democrats of rushing to issue subpoenas and abusing the judiciary panel's oversight responsibilities.

"Right now, they've whipped it into a frenzy because they don't want to have accommodation," Collins said.

Washington, DC - 21 May 2019

+++STARTS AND ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE+++

+++BLACK FRAMES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Steve Cohen, (D) Tennessee:

"Mr. Amash (The House Republican who recently said President Trump committed impeachable offenses) was correct. It's good that he read the Mueller Report. We all need to read the Muller report. I have read the Muller report. It's a clear statement of misdeeds and illegal behavior by the president this administration which continues to this day and not allowing us to have witnesses come to the American people and let the American people know what went on."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Steve Cohen, (D) Tennessee

"I see a lot more people that believe that impeachable offenses occurred and would like to see an impeachment inquiry. They'd also like to see, as Speaker Pelosi would, that all the committees of jurisdiction proceed, and get all the information they need. But there's been a stonewalling by the administration of subpoenas, and the production of documents. Basically a cover-up. a la Richard Nixon."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Steve Cohen, (D) Tennessee

"I think Speaker Pelosi is looking out for the interests of the American people for democracy for truth and for the rule of law. She has a different way of getting there than I do. I wish we thought similarly."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, (D) Texas

"Today, in the next 48 hours, I'll be introducing a resolution of investigation. The opening comments in that resolution says that the Judiciary Committee will investigate whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise the power by Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5 of the Constitution, in respect to acts of impeachment of the president of the United States. We believe and continue to believe that we are doing the right thing by investigating, and that our task is to educate before we activate."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia

"The committee is basically at a time when they're undermining the very work of the committee. I'm someone who believes that congressional oversight, it's something we need to have, it is something that is very valuable, something that we have done for 200 plus years. However, when you abuse that process, when you abuse the committee process, as we have seen this year by rushing to subpoenas, not taking their accommodation process, and we've seen this from day one."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia

"He talked about the parts that were salacious that he wanted to get out, but he didn't talk about the findings of the fact, very plainly in the text; no collusion, and there was no charged obstruction."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia

"In areas where a legitimate oversight is happening, there is been cooperation between the administration, and between the committees of jurisdiction up on the Hill. The issue is coming is when they're rushing to speak, especially in our committee, and I'll speak only to the Judiciary committee, when we're no accommodation process. Nothing that we've seen before. When we saw it under George Bush administration, we saw it under President Obama's administration. This is a process, and I had a question a couple weeks ago. Somebody said, do you believe that this is all going to hinder Congress ability to do its job? No this is the way Congress has always done its job. But right now they've whipped it into a frenzy because they don't want to have accommodation because they want to rush straight from their one talking point that he did something wrong, we don't like it, to an end result, and it won't do anything else."