VOA常速英语2019--特朗普和民主党之间的传票之争不断升级

Battle Over Subpoenas² Escalates³ Between Trump⁴, Democrats⁶

Hush⁷ money payments allegedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, the security clearance⁸ for president Trump’s son-in-law and special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe on Russian meddling⁹ in the 2016 election, these are some of the controversies¹⁰ being investigated by congressional Democrats.On Sunday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler threatened to subpoena¹ Attorney General William Barr if he refuses to testify this Thursday about the Mueller report.The administration says it disagrees with the format¹¹ of the questioning.It’s the House wanting to have staff and others interview, turning generally are really outrageous¹² the way they’re behaving...Democrats have already subpoenaed¹³ several officials including former White House Counsel Don McGahn who threatened to resign rather than carry out Trump’s 2017 order to fire Mueller.Trump says he will fight all subpoenas.

据称，特朗普向成人影星Stormy Daniels支付了封口费，特朗普总统女婿安全许可被降级，特别检察官罗伯特·穆勒对俄罗斯干涉2016年大选的调查，这些都是国会民主党正在调查的一些争议。周日，众议院司法委员会主席Jerry Nadler威胁司法部长William Barr，如果他周四拒绝就穆勒的报告作证，就要传唤他。政府表示不同意质询的方式。众议院希望采访工作人员和其他人，他们的行为方式实际上是非常离谱的……民主党人已经传唤了好几位官员，其中包括前白宫顾问Don McGahn，他曾经威胁要辞职，也不听从特朗普2017年的指令解雇穆勒。特朗普表示他不会听从任何的传唤。

I have been the most transparent¹⁴ president and administration in the history of our country by far.Although there is debate on whether some testimony¹⁵ should be made public,most constitutional scholars agree the president has no legal basis to refuse to respond to Congress.In fact that in and of itself is an independent reason potentially to impeach¹⁶ a president because then he wouldn’t be following the Take Care Clause of the Constitution under which the executive has to take care that laws are faithfully executed.Polls show most Americans oppose impeachment¹⁷.After the release of the Mueller report, Trump has threatened to take Democrats to the Supreme¹⁸ Court if they impeach him.The move is questioned legally but the rhetoric¹⁹ may be effective politically.

我是美国建国以来最透明的总统，我的政府也是史上最透明的行政机构。虽然就是否公开某些证词一事上人们还存在争议，但大多数宪法学者都认为总统没有法律依据拒绝回应国会。事实上，这本身就是一个可能会弹劾总统的一个理由，因为这是没有遵守宪法的保护条款，而行政部门必须忠实地履行法律条目。民意调查显示，大多数美国人反对弹劾。在穆勒报告发布后，特朗普威胁说如果他们弹劾他，就会把把民主党人告到最高法院。此举合法性遭到质疑，但此言论可能在政治上行之有效。

Most of us don’t read those kinds of documents every day and don’t understand the kinds of arguments and frankly²⁰ evidence standards that are in them, so to repeat a conclusion that’s as simple as no collusion over and over again has been effective.Meanwhile, Trump’s personal attorneys have sued House Oversight²¹ Committee Chair Elijah E. Cummings,a Democrat⁵ for issuing a subpoena seeking Trump’s personal financial records.The administration is also denying requests from Democrats to hand over Trump’s tax returns and is refusing to comply with subpoenas in the investigation²² of the controversial decision to add a citizenship²³ question to the 2020 census²⁴.

我们大多数人每天都不会阅读这些类型的文件，也不了解其中的论点，坦白地说，也不了解其中的证据标准，所以一遍又一遍地重复一个简单的结论，即不存在勾结，是有效的。与此同时，特朗普的私人律师起诉了众议院监督委员会主席Elijah E. Cummings，他是一名民主党人，曾向特朗普发出传票，要求其提供个人财务记录。美国政府还否认民主党交出特朗普的纳税申报表的要求，并且拒绝遵守调查有关2020年人口普查中增加公民身份问题争议性决定的传票。

1 subpoena   

n.（法律）传票；v.传讯

参考例句：

• He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。
• Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。

2 subpoenas   

n.（传唤出庭的）传票( subpoena的名词复数 )v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• My company has complied with committee subpoenas by supplying documents confirming all that I have said. 本公司按照委员会的要求，提供了能够证实我刚才发言的文件。 来自辞典例句
• Congressional Investigations: Subpoenas and Contempt Power. Report for Congress April 2, 2003. 金灿荣：《美国国会的监督功能》，载《教学与研究》2003年第2期。 来自互联网

3 escalates   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的第三人称单数 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. 面临的挑战越大，越需要团队协同合作。 来自互联网
• I cannot understand why a minor disagreement escalates into a fist-fight. 我真不明白为什么一点意见不合就变成了拳头相见。 来自互联网

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

8 clearance   

n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理

参考例句：

• There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。
• The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。

9 meddling   

v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切“干预”促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
• They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野，因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句

10 controversies   

争论

参考例句：

• We offer no comment on these controversies here. 对于这些争议，我们在这里不作任何评论。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The controversies surrounding population growth are unlikely to subside soon. 围绕着人口增长问题的争论看来不会很快平息。 来自辞典例句

11 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

12 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

13 subpoenaed   

v.（用传票）传唤（某人）( subpoena的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court subpoenaed her to appear as a witness. 法庭传唤她出庭作证。
• The finance director is subpoenaed by prosecution. 财务经理被检查机关传讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

15 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

16 impeach   

v.弹劾；检举

参考例句：

• We must impeach the judge for taking bribes.我们一定要检举法官收受贿赂。
• The committee decided to impeach the President.委员会决定弹劾总统。

17 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

18 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

19 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

20 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

21 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

22 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

23 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

24 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。