Contempt of Congress is a High Crime

Article II, Section 3: "(The Executive) ... shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed."

Article I, Section 2: "The House of Representatives ... shall have the sole power of impeachment."

Article I, Section 3: "The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments."

(Crossposted at Crystal Gazing.)

Sometimes it's worth stating the obvious, because the simple, basic civics class level statement is what the average citizen will understand.

The Executive is required to "faithfully execute" the laws. Failure to do so is a High Crime.

The Legislative branches have the "sole power" to remove Executive branch officers when they commit High Crimes.

There is no role for the Judiciary in this matter (save the Chief Justice presiding over a Presidential impeachment trial).

Congress has the constitutional obligation to investigate allegations that the Executive has not 'faithfully executed the law.' Failure to provide Congress the information necessary to ascertain whether the Executive has failed to comply with the constitution -- which is a High Crime -- is Contempt of Congress, and itself constitutes a High Crime.

Congress should not rely on the Executive to enforce its request for information, nor should they ask/allow the Judiciary to adjudicate it. There is no reason for the Legislative branch to defer to the Judiciary, nor should it allow the Judiciary to bind or limit its Article I power w/r/t impeachment, which includes oversight of issues that could be impeachable.

There is no role for the Judiciary -- Contempt of Congress is a High Crime.  Congress must be responsible for enforcing its Legislative rights under the constitution; It should not rely on, or defer to, the other branches.

It's a simple, basic civics framing of the issue and we should start stating it as acceptable discourse on this issue. Let those who disagree explain why it isn't.

Contempt of Congress is a High Crime. Perhaps it's time to just say it...