Congress: House Democrats tap Carolyn Maloney to chair Oversight Committee

House Democrats selected Representative Carolyn Maloney to lead the powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee, one of the key panels involved in the ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Trump.

Maloney, of New York, is the first woman to chair the oversight panel and has been serving as its temporary leader since the death of Representative Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, last month.

She bested Representatives Gerry Connolly of Virginia and Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts to win the recommendation Tuesday of the House Democratic Steering Committee. The House Democratic caucus then met behind closed doors Wednesday to elect a new chair.

The Oversight panel is one of three helming the ongoing impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump, which House Democrats launched in September after a whistleblower filed a complaint with the intelligence community inspector general about a call the president had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During the call, the president asked Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic frontrunner, and his son, Hunter, who served on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

The committee has also launched investigations into Mr. Trump’s ongoing financial interest in his business and whether he has been profiting from foreign patrons at his Washington, D.C., hotel, as well as the Trump administration’s policy of separating families apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border. In February, the Oversight panel heard testimony from Michael Cohen, Mr. Trump’s former personal attorney, and has been examining the White House’s handling of security clearances for top aides.

Maloney, 73, has served in the House since 1993, and her district includes Trump Tower. She was the lead co-sponsor of the 9/11 Victims Fund and has been a leading advocate for victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report.