House panel assigns DHS to alleged Trump forgiveness

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee, led by a Democratic Party, on Wednesday assigned the Department of Homeland Security to documents that could shed light on the alleged offer of forgiveness by US officials implementing the United States immigration policy.

The committee, which is considering recommending Mr. Trump's indictment, quoted press reports that the president allegedly pardoned officials for being prosecuted for following the instructions of the president. close part of the US-Mexico border, aggressively seize private property and ignore the environment. rules when erecting a fence.

"The pardon granted by the president to incite government officials to violate the federal law would be another example of the president's disregard for the rule of law," said in a statement the president of the judicial committee of the House , Jerrod Nadler.

Neither the White House nor the DHS responded immediately to requests for comment.

On September 17, Kevin McAleenan, Acting Secretary of DHS, was summoned to appear until 10:00 am Paris time (14:00 GMT) to deliver a number of documents, notes and communications, including those relating to the meetings. between DHS officials and March 21st and April 5th.

The House panel is heading into a potentially explosive period in its investigation of the Trump presidency. Democrats gather evidence of presumed misconduct of the president and are scheduling hearings in the hope of deciding by the end of the year whether to recommend his dismissal from office or not. whole House of Representatives.

Last month, the committee summoned the testimony of former Trump campaign chairman Corey Lewandowski and two White House assistants. The three men were quoted in former Special Adviser Robert Mueller's investigation report on Russia as witnesses to acts by which Democrats say Trump had sought to obstruct the investigation.

Mueller also documented the role pardons played in Trump's alleged attempts to dissuade his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, from cooperating with federal investigators.

In addition to the risk of obstruction and pardon, the House committee is investigating alleged secret payments made before the 2016 presidential election to two women who claimed to have had trade relations with Trump that could violate the restrictions. constitutional requirements for officials receiving profits from foreign sources. and national governments.