Oversight

Here Are Three Things Congress Can Do to Fight Trump’s Corruption and Cover-Ups

Trump is just the latest president to suppress reporting on his administration. It’s time for Congress to fight back.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi with House members serving as impeachment managers at a press conference in Washington, D.C. on January 15, 2020. Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images

The Senate is now firmly entrenched in hearing arguments over whether to hear witnesses in Trump’s impeachment trial, and yet again, a key issue — former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s conversations with Trump about Ukraine — was first uncovered by the press.

Time and again during the impeachment saga, journalists have provided the public — and Congress — with evidence of wrongdoing. Indeed, we might not even know about the Ukraine scandal at all if it weren’t for leaks to the press. The Bolton news — that he allegedly had direct conversations with the president about blackmailing Ukraine — comes courtesy of his new book, which reporters gained access to before members of Congress. This latest twist serves as a reminder of the value of leaks and reporting around the White House. No wonder the president wants to tamp down on the book’s release.

Unfortunately, while Democrats in Congress have focused all their attention on attempting to remove Trump from office, hardly any attention has been paid to the exact means by which Trump is attempting to cover up his crimes.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have proposed important anti-corruption legislation, but congressional leaders have neglected to go after the vast powers the president holds to keep information secret from the American public. As a result, Congress has done next to nothing to stop Trump — and any presidents who follow him — from stymying the press even further.

Here are three ways Congress can fight Trump’s cover-up efforts and for a more transparent America.

Strengthen the Freedom of Information Act

The American public has learned of wrongdoings, both by the current and past administrations, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the law requiring the disclosure of government documents upon request. Yet at the same time, the FOIA system is terribly broken. Reporters often experience years-long…