Democrats have moved swiftly to issue subpoenas and schedule depositions to gather additional evidence that can bolster their claim that Trump should be removed from office. But Trump’s allies are throwing up a series of legal roadblocks — executive and attorney-client privilege, protection of classified information, counter lawsuits — to draw out that process.
The fight is a risky one for Democrats, who are well aware that getting caught in a protracted courtroom slog could cost them a chance to pounce while the president is on the defensive, facing sagging poll numbers and near-peak public focus on a budding scandal over his efforts to pressure Ukrainian officials to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden.
“There’s no reason in this case Congress has to go down that path at all,” said Phil Barnett, who served for more than a decade as a top aide to Democratic oversight heavyweight Rep. Henry Waxman and is currently informally advising party leadership on its efforts. “They know the key facts already, so this is like trying to close the barn door after the horse has already left.”
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