The White House said it will not honor the oversight demands made by top GOP Lawmakers congressional Republicans during the last Congress.
White House Special Counsel Richard Sauber, in respective letters to Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Jim Jordan (R-OH), said that the administration will not respond to both lawmakers’ demands as they were in the House minority at the time they made the demand.
“Congress has not delegated such oversight authority to individual members of Congress who are not committee chairmen, and the House has not done so under its current Rules,” wrote Sauber.
Sauber added that the White House is not constitutionally obligated to honor Comer and Jordan’s request. The White House, however, stated that it would grant the lawmakers’ request in the Next Congress, at which point they would be in the Majority.
Sauber’s letter received heavy criticism from the House Judiciary GOP who chided the White House for leaking the contents of the letters to Politico before the lawmakers got them. The House Judiciary GOP accused the White House and Politico of “working hand-in-hand politically to obstruct legitimate constitutional oversight.”
“Last night, the White House LEAKS this ridiculous story to @politico and @HeidiReports Then, the White House BRIEFS Politico on the story,” siad House Judiciary GOP. “At 4:34 a.m. this morning, the White House sent us the letter. Only after publication does Politico ask us for comment.”
Last night, the White House LEAKS this ridiculous story to @politico and @HeidiReports.
Then, the White House BRIEFS Politico on the story.
At 4:34 a.m. this morning, the White House sends us the letter.
Only after publication does Politico ask us for comment.
“Good faith.” https://t.co/Yo9oi811Ei
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) December 29, 2022
Comer also criticized the letter while adding that Biden’s White House was only seeking to obstruct congressional oversight and hide information from the American people.
Some of the information Comer accused the White House of hiding include the administration’s response to the border and fentanyl crisis, the Biden family’s influence peddling, COVID origins, botched Afghanistan withdrawal, and the energy crisis.
“Why is the Biden Administration hiding this information?” Comer said in a statement.
Comer made it clear that Republicans will not be deterred by the administration’s obstruction effort. The lawmaker added that the House GOP will continue to press the Biden Administration for “answers, transparency, and accountability that the American people deserve.”
