Back when President Donald Trump was just a New York City real estate developer, he did battle over a Manhattan building project with a local U.S. congressman, whom he criticised as “one of the most egregious hacks in contemporary politics.”
That congressman, Jerrold Nadler, is now a senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives and one of a handful of top Democrats who have tangled with Trump in the past and could soon be in a position to cause serious trouble for him.
If Democrats win a majority in the House in the Nov. 6 congressional elections, Nadler would likely become chairman of the Judiciary Committee. In that post, he could launch investigations of Trump. The committee is also probably where any Trump impeachment effort could begin.
In a multi-front House inquiry of Trump, his business interests and his presidency, Nadler would link arms with Elijah Cummings, who would become head of the House Oversight Committee, and Adam Schiff, who would chair the House Intelligence Committee.
As president, Trump has not dealt with a chamber of Congress under opposition party control, facing few direct challenges from largely cooperative Republicans currently in charge of the House and Senate. That would change if Democrats win the House and start issuing subpoenas that could preoccupy the White House for months.
Opinion polls suggest Democrats could win a majority in the House, but that is far from certain as key races remain competitive days before the election.