Yeomans: “Little White Lies and a Resignation”

Washington, D.C., March 1, 2018 – In the latest edition of Yeomans Work, “Little White Lies and a Resignation,” AFJ’s Ronald Goldfarb Fellow for Justice, Bill Yeomans, writes that former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks’s appearance before the House Intelligence Committee “highlighted the success of the Republican majority in colluding with the White House to thwart the committee’s ability to conduct a credible investigation.”

“Even putting aside the clownish, inept, and bad-faith conduct of the supposedly recused committee chair, Devin Nunes, the committee has repeatedly embarrassed itself,” writes Yeomans. “By coddling witnesses and refusing to invoke the committee’s full powers, the Republican majority has failed in its constitutional obligation to check the executive branch and its institutional obligation to expose the Russian assault on our democracy. Instead, it has chosen to circle the wagons around a lying and corrupt president.”

The Republican majority’s refusal to use the committee’s full range of investigative tools “has created a sham process that too often allows for the appearance of action while allowing the White House to appear to be cooperating,” warns Yeomans. “The committee needs to convene public hearings, subpoena witnesses and hold reluctant witnesses in contempt.”

Yeomans Work focuses on the challenges to the justice system in the era of Trump. Bill Yeomans is available for media interviews. Contact Laurie Kinney, Communications Director, at laurie@afj.org or 202-464-7367.