CONYERS: Top House Judiciary Democrats Call On DOJ & FBI To Preserve Russia Investigation Documents & Materials Related To Comey Firing

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

Washington, DC – Today, after President Donald Trump abruptly fired Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Judiciary Subcommittee Ranking Members Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN) and David N. Cicilline (D-RI), sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, calling for the protection and preservation of all documents and other materials involving the Department's and FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 federal election as well as the protection and preservation of all files related to Director Comey's termination.

U.S. House Democrat Judiciary Letter To DOJ and FBI Comey To Preserve Russia Investigation 5.9.17 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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CONYERS: Trump’s Nixonian Comey Firing is a Clear Cover Up

Washington, DC – Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement in response to Trump abruptly firing FBI Director James Comey:

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“Today’s action by President Trump completely obliterates any semblance of an independent investigation into Russian efforts to influence our election, and places our nation on the verge of a constitutional crisis.   There is little doubt that the President’s actions harken our nation back to Watergate and the “Saturday Night Massacre.” This decision makes it clear that we must have an independent, non-partisan commission to investigate both Russian interference in the U.S. election and allegations of collusion between the government of Vladimir Putin and the Trump campaign.  Today’s actions reek of a cover up and appear to be part of an ongoing effort by the Trump White House to impede the investigation into Russian ties and interference in our elections.

“I am particularly concerned that President Trump fired Director Comey based in part on the recommendation of Attorney General Sessions--who was forced to recuse himself from the underlying investigation based on his own actions and misconduct.  This shocking decision by the President is beyond the pale and itself warrants independent inquiry and hearings, and reinforces the need for the Attorney General himself to step down given his own obvious and ongoing conflicts. 

“Though we may not have always agreed with James Comey, he was critical to overseeing the ongoing investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 election. The Administration’s after-the-fact efforts to rationalize this blatantly self-serving political firing--by complaining about the manner Director Comey handled the investigation into Secretary Clinton’s emails—is too cute by half and does not even pass the smell test.”

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JOINT STATEMENT FROM CBC CHAIRMAN & TOP JUDICIARY DEMOCRAT ON TRUMP ATTEMPT TO WALK BACK HBCU COMMENTS

WASHINGTON – The Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-La.), and the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s attempt to walk back his recent comments on HBCUs. On Friday, while signing a $1.1 trillion omnibus bill, President Trump questioned the constitutionality of HBCU funding.

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“Based on President Trump’s record on HBCUs, we think it’s safe to say that he meant what he said on Friday and that last night’s statement, much like the HBCU executive order, meeting, and photo, are just PR.

“He held a meeting with more than 70 HBCU presidents in February and then said after the meeting that they didn’t ask him for anything even though they did. He signed an executive order that moves the HBCU initiative into the White House but does little else. In addition, his budget proposes to give HBCUs the same amount of funding they received last year, even though their operational costs are increasing, and to cut programs like Pell Grants that support students served by these schools.

“Sadly and shamefully, HBCUs, including the schools that President Trump met with, are left to wonder whether he wants to help or hurt them. If President Trump really wants to help HBCUs, he’ll implement the proposals the CBC has suggested to him in several letters (February 27, March 22), including the letter we sent him on April 27 calling for robust funding for a host of programs that support students served by these schools.” 

The $1.1 trillion omnibus bill that President Trump signed on Fridayincluded funding for year-around Pell Grants ($22.5 billion), TRIO ($950 million), and Gear Up ($340 million) and was the result of negotiations by Congressional Republicans and Democrats that began before President Trump took office.

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CONYERS on House passage of TrumpCare

Washington, D.C  – Congressman John Conyers, Jr., the Dean of the House of Representatives, released the following statement after Republicans passed TrumpCare on a party-line vote:

Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“I’ve served in Congress for 52 years and it’s hard for me to recall a time when we’ve voted on something so obviously and intentionally harmful to seniors and working people in this country.

This legislation strips healthcare from 24 million people. It requires seniors to pay 100% or more of their income in premiums. This legislation dramatically cuts Medicaid, directly contradicting Mr. Trump’s claim not to.

Every policy expert who has looked at the Upton amendment has said it is grossly inadequate to fund high risk pools for people with pre-existing conditions.

In Michigan, almost one million children, nearly half of all children in the state, rely on Medicaid. In my district alone, 56,000 people will lose coverage, including 16,000 children and 3,500 elderly.

If this bill becomes law, people will die. Children, seniors, and working people will suffer and many will die, all so that wealthy people can get a tax cut.

Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. That’s why I have a bill to create a single-payer, Medicare-for-All plan. Most of the Democratic party has joined me in cosponsoring that bill. Democrats will be in the majority again—given today’s vote that may happen very soon. When it does, I will do everything in my power to make sure a national, universal, government-funded system is our agenda.”

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House Judiciary Democrats Demand Answers on Ivanka Trump’s Overseas Business Interests

Washington, DC – Today, every Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee joined Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr., in sending letters both to White House counsel and the CEO of Ivanka Trump Collection, LLC, expressing concerns that Ivanka Trump may be using her official position for private gain.  The letter focuses on Ms. Trump’s meetings with leaders from China and Japan and the swift, subsequent approval of valuable trademarks for her company by those foreign governments. 

These letters come after the public release of new guidance from the Office of Government Ethics, confirming that Ms. Trump is considered a government employee covered by federal ethics rules, as well as new reports describing how Ms. Trump may have used her official position to promote both her new book and Trump Tower in the Philippines.

Today’s letter was signed by every Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, including: Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Karen Bass (D-CA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), David Cicilline (D-RI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Brad Schneider (D-IL). 

U.S. House Judiciary Committee Letter to White House Legal Counsel Donald McGahn on Ivanka Trump 5.3.17 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

U.S. House Judiciary Committee Letter to Abigail Klem, CEO of Ivanka Trump Collection, LLC 5.3.17 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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CONYERS, KILDEE, and LAWRENCE Reintroduces Bill To Stop Emergency Managers: Three Years After Disastrous Flint Water Switch

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives John Conyers (D-MI), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Dan Kildee (D-MI), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), and 17 cosponsors, today reintroduced the Emergency Financial Manager Reform Act to address unchecked decision-making powers that appointed emergency financial managers have in financially distressed cities. Last week marks three years since the disastrous water switch that resulted in lead contamination in Flint, Michigan.  

Recently, Congressman Conyers, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Cedric Richmond, sent a letter to President Trump questioning the Administration’s commitment to the Flint area in light of proposed budget cuts to EPA and other agencies.

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“Three years later, the people of Flint continue to suffer from the misguided and disastrous choices of an emergency financial manager they did not elect to represent them. We cannot undo the damage already done by the lead-poisoned water in Flint or fix the harm already caused by the hazardous conditions in Detroit’s public schools.  But we must continue to stand together and make sure the unaccountable emergency financial managers responsible for these disasters – and the legal system that empowered them – are not permitted to inflict further harm on our citizens or our constitutional rights. I will continue to introduce the Emergency Financial Manager Reform Act until its passage. We must ensure that what happened in Flint, will never happen again.” said Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13).

“Our state’s emergency financial manager law has hurt Flint and families throughout Michigan,” Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) said. 

“Unelected emergency financial managers made the decisions that led to the Flint water crisis. Their failed governing philosophy is solely focused on the bottom-line and cutting cost, often at the expense of people. Michigan families and their elected officials – not appointed and unaccountable emergency financial managers – should be in charge in the communities that they live in. This bill will help ensure what happened in Flint does not happen to other communities.”

“The Flint Water Crisis was a man-made disaster, and the people of Flint needed strong and responsible leadership to do their job and work in the best interest of the community they serve.  This never happened.  The people suffered, and they continue to suffer; while the leaders who caused this disaster hold no accountability for their actions.  This is shameful for the state of Michigan and shameful for America. It is imperative that the citizens of this great country are not denied their right to have a government that is elected and accountable.  We need immediate reform of the lack of accountability with emergency financial managers and we simply cannot allow a tragedy like this to ever happen again,” said Rep. Brenda Lawrence (MI-14).

There are many cities in financial distress across our nation still struggling to recover from the Great Recession.  While most states work cooperatively with their cities to foster economic stability and growth, others such as the state of Michigan, use draconian, autocratic laws that usurp local elected officials and replace them with unaccountable political appointees – typically known as emergency financial managers – who, through their vast powers, can jeopardize the health and safety of those who live and work in these struggling cities. 

For example, Atlantic City, New Jersey, which is also in financial distress, is now dealing with similar issues as it struggles under the control of an unaccountable state appointed overseer with powers similar to those available to Michigan’s emergency financial managers.  Last month, that city’s police union filed a lawsuit in response to the state’s announced intention to slash pay and benefit cuts in violation of the police union’s contract, claiming that these “cuts could harm public safety and the state takeover law is unconstitutional because it impairs their contract rights.

Earlier this year, the state also proposed a 25 percent reduction in compensation for that city’s firefighters’ union members.

The Emergency Financial Manager Reform Act would authorize the U.S. Attorney General to withhold five percent of the law enforcement funds that would otherwise be allocated to a state under the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program (Byrne-JAG) if the Attorney General determines that the state-appointed emergency financial manager fails to protect against the following six abuses: discriminatory impact on voting, conflicts of interest, mismanagement, and abuse of discretion, harm to public health, unilateral rejection of other contracts, and lack of notice to affected communities who cannot provide comment.

The objective of the legislation is not to deny Byrne-JAG grant funds, but rather to incentivize the states to protect their citizens against these risks and abuses when emergency financial managers are appointed.  However, if in the event the funds are withheld, they are directly reallocated to the local government for which an emergency financial manager is appointed. 

The Emergency Financial Manager Reform Act was introduced with support from the following original cosponsors: Representatives Brenda Lawrence (D-MI); Dan Kildee (D-MI); Karen Bass (D-CA), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Gerald Connolly (D-VA), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Shelia Jackson Lee (D-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Eddie Bernice  Johnson (D-TX), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).

This legislation is identical to H.R. 4754, the “Emergency Financial Manager Reform Act of 2016,” introduced in the 114th Congress and supported by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the United Auto Workers (UAW), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), among others.

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CONYERS and GOODLATTE Applaud Committee Passage of Legislation to Address Bankruptcy Judicial System

Washington, D.C.— House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and the bill’s chief sponsor, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), issued the following statements upon the House Judiciary Committee’s approval ofBankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017 (H.R. 2266) by a voice vote. 

“While bankruptcy is never a word anyone wants to hear, the bankruptcy process is an essential part of our economy. Our bankruptcy system allows hardworking individuals and businesses large and small to use our laws to help preserve their assets and strengthen their financial future.  

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

Ranking Member Conyers: “The Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017 authorizes the creation of permanent bankruptcy judgeships based on the recommendation of the Judicial Conference of the United States."

“The authorization of these additional permanent bankruptcy judgeships, including the conversion of temporary bankruptcy judgeships into permanent judgeships, will help to ensure there are adequate judicial resources and an efficient bankruptcy process."

“In particular, I am pleased that the Eastern District of Michigan will benefit from the addition of a new permanent judgeship and the conversion of a temporary judgeship to permanent status.”

“An efficient bankruptcy system is essential to get hardworking Americans and businesses back on their feet, and a strained system only hampers essential benefits our bankruptcy laws are intended to provide."

Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017  will create a long-term fix to the bankruptcy judicial system, and allow our bankruptcy courts to operate at a pace that can best serve the American people.”

The Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2017, introduced by Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers, will convert 14 temporary bankruptcy judgeships to permanent status and authorize four new bankruptcy judgeships. Additionally, the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act provides for an increase in the U.S. Trustee’s Quarterly Fees for large chapter 11 cases. 

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