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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Statement on the Announcement by the House Judiciary Committee of Special Oversight Consultants

February 12, 2019

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PRESS PICTURE

For Immediate Release Contact: Robin Chand

February 12, 2019 (202) 225–3816

Press Statement

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Statement on the Announcement by the House Judiciary Committee of Special Oversight Consultants

Jackson Lee—"With the retention of these experts, I look forward to continuing my efforts to hold this presidential administration accountable, as I did last Friday during what has been dubbed the "first real oversight hearing" of this presidential administration. As the coming days and weeks unfold, and as I explained to the Acting Attorney General on Friday, I hope this administration understands that members of the House Judiciary Committee are not joking around about oversight and that this is indeed a serious matter."

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget, released this statement on the announcement by the House Judiciary Committee of its retention of Special Oversight Counsels to consult on oversight matters within the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary Committee:

"For over two years, due to the abdication of its constitutional responsibility by members of the House GOP, a president sorely in need of oversight has managed to avoid it. Republicans in Congress looked the other way when revelations came to light about the President's likely ongoing violations of the Emoluments Clause; they were uninterested when news of this administration's cruel and immoral child separation policy at our southern border became known to the world; and, when the American public came to learn alarming and troubling connections between Russia and its interference in the 2016 election, and whether that crime was aided and abetted by associates of the Trump campaign, House Republicans conducted no oversight. Fortunately, the American people were paying attention and in November delivered the largest electoral margin of victory in history, and Democrats were swept into the House majority and with it, this president lost his ability to evade oversight.

"Accordingly, the House Judiciary Committee is determined to provide rigorous oversight that has been absent. It is our responsibility—and indeed our constitutional duty—to ask critical and difficult questions, follow the facts, and facilitate and ensure transparency. This is why I applaud and commend the decision to hire Norm Eisen and Barry Burke as Special Oversight Counsels. Barry and Norm are considered two of the nation's preeminent legal authorities, especially as it relates public corruption, government ethics and criminal law. These two individuals are renowned legal scholars, and are respected across the political spectrum for their integrity and objectivity. The House Judiciary Committee will undoubtedly be enhanced by these hires.

"With the retention of these experts, I look forward to continuing my efforts to hold this presidential administration accountable, as I did last Friday during what has been dubbed the "first real oversight hearing" of this presidential administration. As the coming days and weeks unfold, and as I explained to the Acting Attorney General, I hope this administration understands that members of the House Judiciary Committee are not joking around about oversight and that this is indeed a serious matter."

Congresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas's 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget.