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Chairmen Cohen and Nadler Seek Justice Department Documents on Trump’s Claim to Unspecified Emergency Powers

April 24, 2020

Clarification of President’s statement he has “the right to do a lot of things that people don’t even know about”

WASHINGTON – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and Jerry Nadler, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, today wrote to Attorney General William Barr seeking clarification of, and documents supporting, the President's claim that he has "the right to do a lot of things that people don't even know about" in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The letter reads in part:

"In recent days and weeks, President Trump has repeatedly suggested he may use unspecified emergency powers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic…

"While it remains unclear what the President is referring to when he describes authorities ‘that people don't even know about,' his remarks suggest that his Administration has produced or may soon produce documents purporting to support the use of extraordinary legal authorities in response to the pandemic…

"While the federal government must respond swiftly and energetically to protect the public health during this pandemic, the President cannot use the current crisis to assert secret and unreviewable powers."

See the entire letter here.