Subpoena Cannon
The Democrats won control of the House of Representatives after the November 2018 election. Axios reported “Democrats load “subpoena cannon” with 85+ Trump target” by Mike Allen on November 12, 2018:
“What they’re saying: One senior Democratic source said the new majority, which takes power in January, is preparing a ‘subpoena cannon,’ like an arena T-shirt cannon.”
A “subpoena cannon” fires off a lot of subpoenas. The term had been infrequently used earlier. “Murphy’s Law Firm has a rotary subpoena cannon” was posted on the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.starwars.games on July 8, 1998. “Sony’s legal department has been busy. Bet they have a subpoena cannon” was posted on Twitter by Bruce McGee on February 8, 2011. “The NJ Dems have fired the subpoena cannon” was posted on Twitter by Dave Weigel on January 17, 2014.
Google Groups: rec.arts.sf.starwars.games
WEG Summary
Silas haughton
7/8/98
You have no idea how much I want to be optimistic about all this but Murphy’s Law Firm has a rotary subpoena cannon that they hose me down with everytime I get hopeful about something I care about this much.
Twitter
Bruce McGee
@Origim
Sony’s legal department has been busy. Bet they have a subpoena cannon
11:19 AM - 8 Feb 2011
Twitter
Dave Weigel
@daveweigel
The NJ Dems have fired the subpoena cannon
Alex Burns
@alexburnsNYT
NJ Dems confirm subpoenas for Christie’s current and former COS, comms dir & press secretary, counsel, multiple Port Authority appointees
2:59 PM - 17 Jan 2014
Twitter
Andre Gallardo
@awekwsome
Replying to @jimcramer
Introducing the “Subpoena Cannon”. Goes great with any mid-to-large size sea vessels! Perfect for those times when you have a question but lack the needed “jurisdiction”. Simply insert a Subpoena with your question and have a disinterested 3rd party (age of 18 +) pull the trigger
9:32 AM - 13 Feb 2018
Twitter
Need To Know
@redirectloop
Replying to @Shareblue
I want a subpoena cannon like a t-shirt cannon, that I can point at the stage and yell, “You’ve been served!” after every shot.
#NRAconspirators
1:38 AM - 4 May 2018
Axios
Mike Allen Nov 12, 2018
Democrats load “subpoena cannon” with 85+ Trump targets
House Democrats plan to probe every aspect of President Trump’s life and work, from family business dealings, the Space Force and his tax returns to possible “leverage” by Russia, top Democrats tell us.
What they’re saying: One senior Democratic source said the new majority, which takes power in January, is preparing a “subpoena cannon,” like an arena T-shirt cannon.
Twitter
The Third Eye
@tvThirdEyeM
MSNBC 2:56am SCOOP: NEW HOUSE CHAIRS PLAN. M’OS1b’9 ”“9 TO LOAD UP “SUBPOENA CANNON”
[\XIOS…
5:57 AM - 12 Nov 2018
USA Today
Democrats should drop ‘subpoena cannon’ talk about Trump, learn from Republican mistakes
Kurt Bardella, Opinion columnist Published 3:15 a.m. ET Nov. 13, 2018 | Updated 3:52 p.m. ET Nov. 14, 2018
(...)
Learn from Republicans, skip the bombast
As House Democrats find themselves in the same position we were in eight years ago, they would be wise to learn from our mistakes. On Monday, Axios reported that a “senior Democratic source” said the new majority was preparing a “subpoena cannon” to unleash on the Trump administration.
On one hand I chuckled, because this was the kind of rhetorical bombast I was very fond of using back in the day. On the other hand, I winced, because it usually set us up for failure.
YouTube
Bill Whittle Demolishes Nancy Pelosi’s ‘Subpoena Cannon’
Bill Whittle
Published on Nov 13, 2018
As Democrats in the House prepare a barrage of subpoenas, investigations and even impeachment articles for President Trump and his administration, Bill Whittle Now dispatches their pet probe topics one by one.
Washington (DC) Examiner
Going Ballistic: What the Democrats’ ‘subpoena cannon’ means for Trump
by Ilya Shapiro
December 10, 2018 12:00 AM
With Democrats seizing the House and Republicans keeping the Senate, bills beyond the proverbial post-office-naming will be hard-pressed to make it out of both chambers in the next Congress. The threat President Trump faces from Democrats, then, isn’t legislative obstruction, but the ready-aim-fire of the opposition’s “subpoena cannon.”
That’s the term one senior Democratic source used last month in describing to Axios the opposition’s main anti-Trump weapon.