The exchange of threats comes after House Democrats vowed to investigate alleged corruption during Trump\u2019s second term<\/p>\n
The White House\u2019s top lawyer has warned the House Democrats that their plans to investigate the administration of US President Donald Trump \u201cmay cross the line into blatant criminality.\u201d
\nThe dispute follows a pledge by the Democrats to launch a broad series of investigations into the Trump administration after winning control of the House of Representatives in last week\u2019s midterm elections. The probes are expected to focus on alleged corruption, conflicts of interest, and abuses of power.
\nIn a three-page letter issued on Wednesday to incoming House Oversight Committee chairman Robert Garcia, White House counsel Will Scharf argued that congressional investigations must remain within constitutional limits, adding that Garcia and members of the new Congress have \u201cevinced a clear intent to transgress\u201d them. The letter accuses Democrats of \u201cabusive and capricious threats\u201d against Trump and members of his administration.
\nGarcia pushed back, saying Congress has the constitutional authority to conduct oversight independently of the White House and will not be deterred by \u201cbaseless threats\u201d from the administration or the Justice Department. He argued that voters gave the Democrats a mandate \u201cto root out corruption and abuse.\u201d
\nThe latest exchange comes a week after Garcia issued a blunt warning of his own. On election night, after projections showed Democrats would take control of the House, he addressed the incoming Congress with a two-word message: \u201cLawyer up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
House Republicans block Hegseth impeachment bid<\/p>\n
Last week, Garcia also outlined several areas Democrats intend to investigate, including what he described as corruption within the Trump family, corporate misconduct, alleged abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the administration\u2019s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. He also intends to examine the Trump family\u2019s business dealings, including cryptocurrency and mineral deals, as well as construction projects at the White House.
\nCommenting on the plans at the time, White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said Trump is willing to work with Democrats to deliver results for Americans, but warned that pursuing \u201csham investigations\u201d and \u201cradical-left policies\u201d would mean acting \u201cagainst the American people.\u201d
\nOutgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a Trump critic, told AP on Wednesday that he hopes the Democrats focus on real issues rather than \u201cstupid things\u201d such as the Russiagate inquiry, an investigation based on debunked claims that Trump\u2019s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia. Massie, who recently lost his primary to a Trump-backed Republican challenger, said he believes there is \u201creal corruption\u201d involving the president and the people around him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The exchange of threats comes after House Democrats vowed to investigate alleged corruption during Trump\u2019s second term The White House\u2019s top lawyer has warned the House Democrats that their plans…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41002,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t