Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) stated on MSNBC’s “Velshi” that former President Donald Trump made an “obvious quid pro quo” when he allegedly requested a $1 billion donation from oil executives during a meeting at his Mar-a-Lago resort last month.
Whitehouse explained, “The problem we have is similar to the House. If we issue subpoenas, as the Judiciary Committee did to investigate the payments made to Justice Thomas, the Republicans said they would not enforce the subpoenas, claiming noncompliance, and we won’t be able to enforce them. I anticipate something like that might occur. Much of this work is being prepared for the possibility that the House might return to Democratic control, allowing subpoenas to be enforced without needing to overcome a filibuster. Preparatory work can be done now, even if we are not losing significant time. The crucial moment will come after the November election when we will know if we can enforce subpoenas against this industry or if the Department of Justice decides to investigate, as they can do so without a Senate vote.”
He continued, “What we see here is a substantial basis for an investigation to examine the context of what was said and what paper trail exists, or to determine if there was a pre-existing deal that needed public confirmation to finalize. Understanding the context is essential for making a case, and this situation truly demands investigation. It is an obvious quid pro quo: you give me $1 billion, and I will provide relief from regulations meant to protect public health against your product.”
