Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/19-715_febh.pdf
Page Number: 38

Cite as:  591 U. S. ____ (2020) 

13 

THOMAS, J., dissenting 

that  a  legislative  subpoena  power  was  necessary  for  Con-
gress  to  carry  out  its  legislative  duties.    But  it  observed 
that, based on British judicial opinions, not “much aid [is] 
given to the doctrine, that this power exists as one neces-
sary to enable either House of Congress to exercise success-
fully their function of legislation.”  Ibid.  The Court referred 
to a collection of 18th- and 19th-century English decisions 
grounding  the  Parliamentary  subpoena  power  in  that
body’s judicial origins.  Id., at 184–189 (citing Burdett v. Ab-
bott, 104 Eng. Rep. 501 (K. B. 1811); Brass Crosby’s Case, 
95 Eng. Rep. 1005 (C. P. 1771); Stockdale v. Hansard, 112 
Eng. Rep. 1112 (K. B. 1839); and Kielley v. Carson, 13 Eng.
Rep. 225 (P. C. 1841)).  The Court placed particular empha-
sis on Kielley, in which the Privy Council held that the Leg-
islative Assembly of Newfoundland lacked a power to pun-
ish for contempt.  The Privy Council expressly stated that 
the House of Commons could punish for contempt 

“ ‘not because it is a representative body with legisla-
tive functions, but by virtue of ancient usage and pre-
scription . . . which forms a part of the common law of
the land, and according to which the High Court of Par-
liament before its division, and the Houses of Lords and 
Commons  since,  are  invested  with  many  privileges, 
that of punishment for contempt being one.’ ”  Kilbourn, 
103 U. S., at 188–189. 

This Court also noted that the Privy Council “discusse[d] at 
length the necessity of this power in a legislative body for 
its protection, and to enable it to discharge its law-making
functions,  and  decide[d]  against  the  proposition.”  Id.,  at 
189.  Although  the  Court  did  not  have  occasion  to  decide
whether  the  legislative  subpoena  in  that  case  was  neces-
sary to the exercise of Congress’ legislative powers, its dis-