President Donald Trump may have a Republican majority in Congress, but that doesn’t mean his administration will be free from investigation, according to the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Critics have accused the committee of being overtly political, regardless of which party is in charge, but GOP Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz plans to investigate the Trump administration just like he did with the Obama administration.
“Our job is not to be a cheerleader for the President, and I think that’s, over the long term, one of the things we’ll be judged by is, did you call balls and strikes that are coming over the plate, to use a baseball metaphor, did you call the same on Democrats as you did on Republicans?” Chaffetz told “Full Measure” host Sharyl Attkisson in an interview that will air Sunday.
Chaffetz added that his committee is already looking into several of the administration’s potential missteps, including former national security advisor Mike Flynn’s connections to Russia.
“General Flynn going to Russia, taking money for a speech. He was out of his military service before the Trump Administration had started, but you’re still not allowed to do that,” said Chaffetz.
The committee has also looked into Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway’s comments regarding Ivanka Trump’s fashion brand on national television.
“As an executive branch employee, you can’t do that at any level of government. You can’t endorse or support or use the bully pulpit or the assets of a certain White House or any department or agency,” said Chaffetz. “You have to call it out and, and refer to it what it is, which is wrong, wrong, wrong. And, and she just, she can’t do that again.”
The Trump administration also shouldn’t expect any favors on pet issues, including voter fraud allegations, according to Chaffetz.
“I don’t see any evidence of that. So, I didn’t pursue that investigation, even though the President of the United States was saying there’s evidence, I haven’t seen any,” said the chairman.
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