10 of the biggest congressional investigations of the last 100 years
WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) — A congressional interrogation of Attorney General Loretta Lynch Tuesday about the FBI's investigation of Hillary Clinton's email system played out much like the testimony of FBI Director James Comey last week.
Democrats on both committees accused Republicans of abusing their power to keep Clinton's scandal alive, while Republicans insisted they were asking legitimate questions in the pursuit of justice. The officials faced tough but repetitive examination from Republicans and often completely unrelated inquiries from Democrats.
The hyper-partisan atmosphere of these hearings has become increasingly typical in recent years, but experts say the power of Congress to conduct oversight and investigation of the executive branch is an essential element of the constitutional separation of powers. That authority has been used very effectively at times in the past, but it has also led to great abuses of power.
These are 10 of the most significant congressional oversight investigations over the last century.
VA scandal (2014-2015)
While John Pitney of Claremont McKenna College cited hearings on treatment delays and mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a useful exercise that produced some valuable changes, he suggested it was also a case of Congress failing to be proactive enough in facing problems.
"The VA scandal got very, very far before Congress seriously addressed it," he said.
Hurricane Katrina (2005-2006)
According to Pitney, the congressional investigation of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina produced an important and evenhanded report instead of the partisan witch hunt it easily could have become.
9/11 (2001-2004)
Hearings on the 9/11 attacks, the findings of the congressionally-created 9/11 Commission, and how the government responded to them were among the most important of recent decades, according to David Schultz of Hamline University.
Impeachment (1998-1999)
The hearings that concluded with President Bill Clinton's impeachment by the House of Representatives and his acquittal by the Senate led to a backlash against Republicans from the public, but former House Historian Raymond Smock said few members suffered personally for their perceived grandstanding.
Iran-Contra (1986-1987)
Another valuable congressional investigation Schultz cited was the effort in the 1980s to uncover details about the alleged sale of military equipment to Iran and the diversion of funds to aid rebels in Nicaragua.
Church Committee (1975-1976)
In the mid-1970s, Sen. Frank Church led a panel investigating the abuse of power in intelligence-gathering by the CIA, the FBI, and the NSA.
Watergate Committee (1972-1974)
"Watergate stands at the top," Schultz said. It was a critical investigation that exposed wrongdoing at the White House and the Department of Justice and led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
Army-McCarthy hearings (1954)
The most recent example Smock could recall of an overzealous congressional investigation destroying a politician's career was Sen. Joe McCarthy's attempt to smoke out communist influence in the government in the 1950s.
Truman Committee (1941-1944)
Smock said one of the best examples of effective investigation was the Senate Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program, which investigated military spending and contractor abuses during World War II. He noted that it was a case of then-Democratic Sen. Harry Truman investigating Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt's administration and saving money and lives in the process.
Dies Committee (1938-1945)
Like the McCarthy investigation, Smock said the House Committee on Un-American Activities chaired by Rep. Martin Dies between 1938 and 1945 represented "the worst kind of political grandstanding." It was aimed at identifying subversive elements in government and the public, but it ruined the reputations of loyal Americans as well.
