Olson Acts To Hold The Department Of Justice Accountable

Washington, DC – Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) today acted to hold the Department of Justice (DOJ) accountable to the public by requiring them to turn over requested documents to Congress. Rep. Olson voted for H. Res. 970, which insists that the DOJ fully comply with requests and subpoenas from the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the Committee on the Judiciary by July 6, 2018. The DOJ has to date failed to provide requested documents related to the ongoing congressional investigation into DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation actions surrounding the 2016 election. H. Res. 970 passed the House by a vote of 226-183.

“On numerous occasions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and those under him have failed to comply with Congressional inquiries and has even violated two different subpoenas for documents about the DOJ’s conduct during the 2016 presidential election,” Rep. Pete Olson said. “It is past time for accountability, transparency and compliance with the subpoena for these documents. The Justice Department has a sacred obligation to be fully transparent with the American people who deserve answers.”

  1. Res. 970 – DOJ Compliance Resolution
  • Since March 2017, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has conducted an investigation into potential abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by the Department of Justice (DOJ)
  • On October 24, 2017, the House Committees on the Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform began a joint investigation into decisions made by DOJ in 2016 and 2017 during its investigation of the emails of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
  • During these investigations, DOJ has delayed and failed to fully comply with requests for information and congressional subpoenas
  • The resolution insists that, no later than July 6, 2018, the DOJ fully comply with the requests, including subpoenas, of the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees relating to potential violations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act