Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Mark DeSaulnier

Democrat on Resolution Recommending That the House of Representatives Find Michael Joseph in Contempt of Congress for Refusal to Comply with Subpoenas Duly Issued by the Committee on Ethics 2026-09-01

455 words · 23 sentences · 28 clauses

Statement grade

Average 93 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 4%Claims 56%Reasoning 40%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 9 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume.Procedure Mr. Speaker, Claims · 29 wordsI rise in support of the resolution holding Michael Joseph in contempt of Congress for his failure to comply with duly authorized subpoenas issued by the Committee on Ethics.¹ Reasoning · 97 wordsAt a time when public confidence in Congress is at historic lows and the House’s ability to self-police Member conduct is under intense scrutiny, enforcing lawful congressional process is vital to delivering swift transparency and accountability for any misconduct.Vague promise A witness who refuses to cooperate with the Ethics Committee hinders the thoroughness and swiftness of an investigation. If the committee must authorize and issue a subpoena for that witness, more delays result. If after those additional steps the witness decides to flout the subpoena, the committee is ultimately deprived of key evidence needed to resolve the allegations. Claims · 202 wordsA subpoena from the House Ethics Committee is not a suggestion. It is a lawful demand for information needed by the House to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities to enforce the official code of conduct, adjudicate violations, and to impose appropriate discipline. The investigative subcommittee in the matter of Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick repeatedly sought documents and testimony from Mr. Joseph, ²yet he failed to comply with voluntary requests for information and multiple subpoenas in the 118th and 119th Congresses.³ While other witnesses did not fully cooperate with the committee’s investigation, Mr. Joseph’s conduct went further. Twice he failed to appear for subpoenaed testimony in the current Congress, ⁴and he was made aware numerous times that his failure to comply with the subpoenas could result in contempt proceedings. He had notice of and was properly served all the subpoenas by the investigatory subcommittee, ⁵and he never asserted any valid privilege or basis for noncompliance. The bipartisan investigative subcommittee unanimously found, and the full committee agreed, that his conduct was contemptuous.⁶ His noncompliance also unnecessarily and significantly delayed the committee’s investigation. Contempt referrals like these are a rare step because almost all subpoenaed witnesses cooperate with the committee before contempt proceedings need to be initiated. Reasoning · 29 wordsBut the rareness of this step should not obscure its importance. The effectiveness of the committee’s oversight hinges on the expectation that subpoenas cannot and will not be ignored. Claims · 26 wordsThis contempt resolution is not intended to be a punitive measure. It is a deterrent to future noncompliance and obstructive conduct by witnesses in future investigations. Reasoning · 56 wordsWith this resolution, we can establish a clear and necessary boundary for future witnesses. If you are subpoenaed by the committee, you cannot simply decide that compliance is optional. By demonstrating that noncompliance has consequences, this resolution will empower the Ethics Committee in its continued efforts to uphold civic confidence and the integrity of this body.Vague promise Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 7 wordsI reserve the balance of my time.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 96

2 of 4 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield myself such time as I may consume.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I reserve the balance of my time.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 4 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Nothing lost points.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 83

2 of 4 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “delivering swift transparency and accountability”The commitment names no actor, date, or measure by which this outcome would be achieved.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “will empower the Ethics Committee in its continued efforts to uphold civic confidence”The promised effect has no actor, date, or success condition a reader could later check.

Claims · 6

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“the resolution holding Michael Joseph in contempt of Congress for his failure to comply with duly authorized subpoenas issued by the Committee on Ethics”A resolution before the House recommends that the House find Michael Joseph in contempt of Congress for failure to comply with subpoenas issued by the Committee on Ethics.search
2“The investigative subcommittee in the matter of Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick repeatedly sought documents and testimony from Mr. Joseph”The investigative subcommittee in the matter of Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick repeatedly sought documents and testimony from Michael Joseph.search
3“he failed to comply with voluntary requests for information and multiple subpoenas in the 118th and 119th Congresses”Michael Joseph failed to comply with voluntary requests for information and multiple subpoenas from the Ethics Committee during the 118th and 119th Congresses.search
4“Twice he failed to appear for subpoenaed testimony in the current Congress”Michael Joseph failed to appear for subpoenaed testimony twice during the 119th Congress.search
5“He had notice of and was properly served all the subpoenas by the investigatory subcommittee”Michael Joseph was properly served all the Ethics Committee subpoenas by the investigatory subcommittee.search
6“and the full committee agreed, that his conduct was contemptuous.”The bipartisan investigative subcommittee unanimously found Michael Joseph’s conduct contemptuous, and the full House Ethics Committee agreed.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15