If the executive branch can issue "warrants" why not the legislative branch too?

myrmepropagandist

Could a member of congress draft a "Congressional Warrant" and then go into anyone's house and search for things? For example search for say... missing files?

If you don't need a judge to break down doors just paperwork with the word "warrant" at the top, it seems many things should be possible.

Дими́трий

@futurebird

fight fire with fire? sure! slippery slope? maybe, who cares at this point? I'm all for it, but last time I checked, congress doesn't have a police force. that's probably gonna hafta be on us.

Annelies Kamran, Ph.D.

@futurebird if the only part of the magic spell being cast is the word "warrant" then I don't see why warrants issued by the Culinary Institute of America (to take a random organization with an amusing acronym) wouldn't also be considered binding.

Alan Bucknam

@futurebird Congress could do something like that using the Contempt of Congress power: “The inherent contempt power is a constitutionally based authority given to each house to unilaterally arrest and detain an individual found to be "obstruct[ing] the performance of the duties of the legislature." 1/2

Alan Bucknam

@futurebird “The power is therefore broader in scope than the criminal contempt statute in that it may be used not only to combat subpoena non-compliance, but also in response to other actions that could be viewed as "obstructing" or threatening either house's exercise of its legislative powers.”

So they could arrest the president, I am thinking. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45653

Phil Thane ✅

@futurebird
It's probably every bit as valid as those Trumpist warrants but you'll need a private army to enforce it. Good luck.

not obscene, just deeply concerning

@futurebird i think they should do this, but not as a stunt

like actually barge in there with an armed escort on the authority of it

KanaMauna

@futurebird

Good idea except for that one little detail about control of both houses. Next time somebody says voting doesn’t matter, slap them in the face.

der.hans

@futurebird Is having an 80s hair band guitarist with you sufficient for kicking in a door and kidnapping people?

Well, guitarists other than Danzig tend to be pretty skinny, so you might need the drummer to actually kick the door in

#WarrantIsABand

SouprMatt

@futurebird For many years, Congress and the courts have given way too much power to the Executive branch. Administrative warrants shouldn’t exist, period.

jcriecke

@bucknam congress had the opportunity to do that in the first trump admin when various officials ignored subpoenas but they chickened out.

Alan Bucknam

@jcriecke would be nice to at least see our elected officials try. But of course they won’t.

7leaguebootdisk𓅽

@futurebird the majority party is needed to issue them, but they certainly can, and can lock people up until they comply.