White House warns Democrats in Congress, threatens criminal probe for oversight inquiries; Jefferies calls it ‘outrageous’

The White House has warned the Democrats in Congress against their plans to investigate President Donald Trump and his administration and threatened a criminal probe into the incoming Democratic House majority’s oversight efforts.

In a letter to Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, White House counsel William Scharf reminded the future Oversight Committee chairman of Supreme Court precedent that any congressional investigation must be to “further a legitimate legislative task,” not to “punish” those being investigated.

Scharf pointed to several comments from Democratic members of Congress since last week’s midterm election, including from Garcia, foreshadowing plans to aggressively use the Oversight Committee’s investigative authority.

“We are monitoring the abusive and capricious threats that are now proliferating from Democrat legislators who seek to abuse the legislative process to intimidate and to interfere with the lawful functioning of government,” Scharf said in the letter, which was not disclosed publicly until Wednesday.

Garcia is poised to become chairman of the powerful Oversight Committee starting in January.

It may be recalled that when President Joe Biden occupied the White House, and Republicans took control of Congress, Democrats cried foul that Trump’s allies were only interested in launching partisan probes that damaged their political enemies, but those investigations continued.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer led probes into the international business dealings of Biden’s son Hunter Biden and brother James Biden.

Scharf cited numerous examples of Democratic lawmakers making threats of issuing subpoenas.

Scharf added that “threats to executive branch officials designed to deter them from public service, or process designed merely to abuse or instill fear in the recipient may cross the line into blatant criminality.”

‘It appears Trump has something to hide,’ says Garcia

Responding to Scharf’s letter, Garcia invoked the separation of powers and said newly empowered congressional Democrats will stay the course in investigating the president and his administration.

“It appears Donald Trump has something to hide. Let’s be clear: Congress’ authority comes from Article I of the Constitution, not from the permission of the White House. Congress has wide latitude to conduct investigations and oversight, an authority inherent in the power to legislate,” Garcia said in a statement.

Garcia and other Democrats who will lead congressional committees beginning in January have made no secret of their interest in investigating Trump, as well as his family, businesses and administration.

Garcia said. “The Trump Administration continues to weaponize the government with threats of unconstitutional attacks on Congress. We are a co-equal branch of government and will not be deterred by baseless threats from a weaponized DOJ or from the President’s lawyers.”

Jeffries calls White House warning ‘outrageous’

Reacting to Scharf’s letter, likely House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries called it “outrageous”.

“It’s factually inaccurate. It’s legally inaccurate, and it’s inaccurate in terms of the Constitution,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill.

“A Democratic Congress is going to be a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch in the face of unprecedented corruption that they’ve unleashed on the American people. And if they don’t like it, consult the Constitution,” Jeffries said.

“The White House has been used to a Republican Congress that’s been nothing more than a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda. A Democratic Congress is going to be a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch in the face of unprecedented corruption that they’ve unleashed on the American people. And if they don’t like it, consult the Constitution.”