“The power of the Congress to conduct investigations is inherent in the legislative process. That power is broad. … It is unquestionably the duty of all citizens to cooperate with the Congress…”
— U.S. Supreme Court, Watkins v. United States, 1957
Congressional committees and individual members of Congress are increasingly leveraging their oversight authority to seek information from companies, trade associations and individuals.
The information sought can be public or it can be proprietary, and seemingly friendly inquiries can transform instantly into adversarial, full-blown congressional investigations. For companies, trade associations and individuals that receive inquiries from Capitol Hill, risk is everywhere – reputational and business risk as well as potential civil and criminal consequences. Experienced counsel is critical to successfully navigating the political and legal considerations of a congressional investigation.