▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ; ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁law ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁duty ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Att orney ▁to ▁refer ▁the ▁matter ▁to ▁a ▁grand ▁j ury ▁for ▁action . ▁▁ ▁The ▁criminal ▁off ense ▁of ▁cont empt ▁of ▁Congress ▁sets ▁the ▁penalty ▁at ▁not ▁less ▁than ▁one ▁month ▁nor ▁more ▁than ▁twelve ▁months ▁in ▁j ail ▁and ▁a ▁fine ▁of ▁not ▁more ▁than ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁or ▁less ▁than ▁$ 1 0 0 . ▁ ▁Civil ▁procedures ▁Senate ▁R ules ▁author ize ▁the ▁Senate ▁to ▁direct ▁the ▁Senate ▁Leg al ▁Coun sel ▁to ▁file ▁a ▁civil ▁action ▁against ▁any ▁private ▁individual ▁found ▁in ▁cont empt . ▁ ▁Upon ▁motion ▁by ▁the ▁Senate , ▁the ▁federal ▁district ▁court ▁issues ▁another ▁order ▁for ▁a ▁person ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁Senate ▁process . ▁If ▁the ▁subject ▁then ▁ref uses ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁the ▁Court ' s ▁order , ▁the ▁person ▁may ▁be ▁c ited ▁for ▁cont empt ▁of ▁court ▁and ▁may ▁in cur ▁san ctions ▁im posed ▁by ▁the ▁Court . ▁The ▁process ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁at ▁least ▁six ▁times . ▁ ▁Part ial ▁list ▁of ▁those ▁held ▁in ▁cont empt ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁ ▁Other ▁legisl atures ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Vari ous ▁U . S . ▁states ▁have ▁made ▁similar ▁actions ▁against ▁their ▁own ▁legisl atures ' ▁viol ations ▁of ▁state ▁criminal ▁laws . ▁Sometimes , ▁those ▁laws ▁can ▁even ▁be ▁applied ▁to ▁non - so ver eign ▁legisl