White House Warns House Democrats That Trump Investigations Could Be Criminal
White House counsel Will Scharf sent a letter to Rep. Robert Garcia, the incoming House Oversight Committee chairman, warning that Democratic plans to investigate the Trump administration "may cross the line into blatant criminality." Scharf cited constitutional limits and Supreme Court rulings on congressional probes. Garcia rejected the warning as "baseless," said Trump "has something to hide," and vowed Democrats will not be deterred. Likely House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries called the letter "outrageous." Democrats, who won both chambers in the midterms, plan to examine Trump's real estate projects and crypto businesses.
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House Democrat Defies White House Warning Over Congressional Investigations
A House Democrat responded to a White House warning with the phrase 'Come at me, bro,' according to The Hill, as the incoming administration signaled it could treat aggressive congressional investigations as criminal. The New York Times reported that the White House threatened Congress by suggesting aggressive investigations could be a crime. The incoming House Oversight Chair told CNN that it is 'very clear' Trump administration lawyers 'don't understand the Constitution.' Forbes reported that White House Counsel tried to stop Democrats from investigating Trump, while Rep. Garcia said they 'won't be deterred.' MS NOW characterized the White House counsel's pushback against Democratic oversight as the latest sign of panic. The exchange sets up an early confrontation between the incoming administration and House Democrats over oversight authority.
Read sourceWhite House lawyer warns Rep. Garcia that Trump investigations may be criminal
White House counsel William Scharf sent a three-page letter to incoming House Oversight Committee chair Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., warning that Democratic promises to investigate the Trump administration 'may cross the line into blatant criminality.' The letter, obtained by PBS News, accuses Democrats of 'abusive and capricious threats' and reminds them of constitutional limits on congressional investigations. Garcia, who on election night told the Trump administration to 'Lawyer up,' responded that 'Donald Trump has something to hide' and that Democrats will not be deterred by 'baseless threats from a weaponized DOJ or from the President's lawyers.' The exchange highlights escalating tensions between the incoming Democratic House majority and the White House over oversight plans.
Read sourceWhite House warns Democrats that congressional investigations could be criminal
White House counsel Will Scharf sent a letter to Rep. Robert Garcia, the incoming House Oversight Committee chairman, warning that Democratic threats to investigate the Trump administration are being 'monitored' and may cross into 'blatant criminality' warranting executive branch scrutiny. Scharf cited Supreme Court rulings requiring congressional probes to serve legitimate legislative purposes and pointed to Democrats' rhetoric about issuing subpoenas 'like Mardi Gras beads.' Likely House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries called the letter 'outrageous' and said a Democratic Congress will serve as a check on an 'out-of-control executive branch.' Garcia said Congress's authority derives from Article I of the Constitution, not White House permission, and vowed Democrats will not be deterred. The article notes Trump has previously targeted political opponents, including calling a Democratic video 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH,' though an indictment failed and a judge found the speech protected.
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Democrat Says Trump Has 'Something to Hide' After White House Threatens Oversight
Robert Garcia, the incoming Democratic chair of the House oversight committee, said it appears Donald Trump has 'something to hide' after the White House threatened that Democratic plans to investigate the administration 'may cross the line into blatant criminality.' White House counsel William Scharf wrote that congressional inquiries need a legitimate legislative purpose and cannot be used to punish targets or lay groundwork for prosecutions, citing remarks by incoming Democratic lawmakers and Garcia's 'Lawyer Up' campaign. Garcia vowed to press on, calling the threats 'baseless' and saying Congress's authority comes from Article I of the constitution, 'not from the permission of the White House.' Democrats won back both chambers of Congress in last week's midterms, with corruption a key voter concern, and will arrive in January with their largest House majority since 2008.
Read sourceWhite House Warns Democrats Against Investigating Trump Administration
The White House has warned Democrats that planned congressional investigations into the Trump administration could amount to "obvious criminality." In a letter to Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, White House counsel Will Scharf said threats aimed at deterring executive branch officials from public service or proceedings meant to harass or intimidate them could cross the line into criminality. Garcia, who is expected to chair the committee when Democrats take control of Congress in January, said Trump appears to have something to hide and that Congress has broad investigative authority without White House permission. Democrats plan to examine Trump's real estate projects in Washington and his cryptocurrency businesses.
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