Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, is introducing legislation that would create a Truth and Accountability Commission to investigate what he describes as abuses of power by the Trump administration, according to the bill text first shared with The Hill and reported on October 22. Khanna announced the move the same day, saying he belongs to the wing of his party that will "demand accountability."
Source: The Hill (via Opera News)
The commission's remit, as listed in the bill, is wide. It would examine the administration's decision to launch a war in Iran without congressional authorization; allegations that President Trump and his family used public office for private enrichment; unreleased files relating to Jeffrey Epstein; "shootings and other uses of force" by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers; and other executive-branch actions, including the firing of federal employees under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and funding freezes. The enrichment claims are allegations the commission would investigate, not established findings.
11 members in total. The chairperson would be selected by the president. The majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate would each select two members. The remaining members would be appointed by the chairperson from lists of at least five names submitted by state attorneys general of both parties.
"I completely disagree with Democrats who say that we should not impeach Trump. I completely disagree with Democrats who say, 'Let's just have a kumbaya moment and move on,'" Khanna told The Hill. "I am the wing of the Democratic Party that is going to demand accountability and demand the investigation and prosecution for anyone who broke the law." Asked about Republican support, he said he believes that once Republicans lose in the midterms, "people are going to start to break with Donald Trump."
Khanna, who represents a Silicon Valley district and has not ruled out a 2028 presidential bid, had floated the commission idea in a social media post on October 16, writing that "the Constitution matters, and there has to be accountability for the people who violated it." The bill's prospects in a divided Congress were not immediately clear, and the White House response was still awaited in the initial reporting.
Source: Gaslit Media fact-check summary