White House counsel warns Democrats that abusive probes 'may cross the line into blatant criminality'
Will Scharf vowed to fight the planned House investigations "tooth and nail." Rep. Robert Garcia, expected to chair House Oversight, says Democrats won't be intimidated.
White House counsel Will Scharf said Wednesday on Newsmax that he will fight "tooth and nail" against investigations planned by House Democrats. He said they "can't investigate for the purpose of inflicting pain on government officials." He was defending a letter, three pages long, that he sent to Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the Democrat expected to chair Oversight Committee once Democrats take control of in January.
The letter, dated Monday and first reported by Punchbowl News, warns that threats meant to deter officials from public service, or legal process designed only to abuse or frighten recipients, "may cross the line into blatant criminality." Garcia says Democrats will not be intimidated, citing the Constitution, and suggests Trump has "something to hide." On Wednesday he also told Stephen Miller he "should be preserving documents."
The Epoch Times reports Garcia said on Nov. 10 that the committee has been looking at former chief of staff Susie Wiles, over allegations she lobbied for interest groups. Wiles has not publicly commented on his remarks, the outlet says. Just the News reports that Todd Blanche told administration staff on Sunday, "If you work in this administration, you have a lawyer.
It's me."
- three-pagelength of Scharf's letter to GarciaThe Seattle Times
- more than $2.45 billioncrypto earnings of the Trump family, by Oversight Democrats' calculationJust the News
Three sides of the story
8 news outlets reported this
Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.
Liberal3 outlets
Scharf's threat is hypocritical and legally empty
MS NOW finds "profound hypocrisy" in Scharf's call for a "dignified" investigative process, after his Newsmax appearance. It lists people the president has gone after, among them Rep. Ilhan Omar, New York Attorney General Letitia James and former Director James Comey. It sums up the letter as "Don't launch abusive investigations — because that's our thing."
The New Republic says the White House "has no clue how Congress works." It calls Scharf's threat "an empty one" because members of Congress have legislative immunity for speech or debate. It adds that Democrats could zero out the Executive Office of the President's budget when they take control in January, and recalls the raid on Omar's house.
NPR puts Garcia's answer first: the incoming Oversight chairman "won't back down" and says Democrats won't be intimidated, because "It's in the Constitution." MS NOW also reports that Garcia and his colleagues call the letter an attempt to intimidate lawmakers.
Center2 outlets
A legally dubious threat against congressional oversight
The Seattle Times leads with "White House threatens Congress," saying experts called the threat legally dubious. It quotes Peter M. Shane of New York University's law school, who says congressional oversight and "cannot be the focus of legitimate criminal prosecution." It notes the letter's passage on criminality cited no precedent and places it beside Attorney General Todd Blanche's CNN remarks and the first Trump administration's fights over subpoenas.
It also notes that Garcia's office said it had not received the letter as of Wednesday morning. Garcia says Congress is a coequal branch and "will not be deterred." The Hill reports Scharf's Newsmax vow to fight "tooth and nail" and his claim that the probes are "inappropriate."
A second Hill item has Garcia warning Stephen Miller, whom it calls the newly appointed White House press secretary, that he "should be preserving documents." It describes Garcia as the incoming chair aiming for sweeping probes in the new Congress.
Conservative3 outlets
Democrats' expanding probe list and the White House pushback
The Epoch Times leads with Garcia saying the committee is weighing a probe into former chief of staff Susie Wiles. It notes Wiles has not publicly commented on Garcia's remarks, and quotes Trump calling Democrats' threats "extortion at the highest level." Just the News headlines Democrats mapping probes of the Trump family and top aides as the White House warns of "criminality."
It lists targets such as World Liberty Financial, Kushner's investment firm and Kristi Noem's ad contracts, and quotes Blanche's "It's me." It also notes Schumer's caution that Democrats should not let corruption probes overshadow costs. The Daily Mail calls Scharf's letter a "chilling threat."
It quotes the letter and Garcia's reply that Congress's authority comes from Article I. It adds the House vote of 211-204 sending the Hegseth resolution to the Judiciary Committee, and Jeffries's support for impeaching Hegseth.
- The Epoch Times: Rep. Robert Garcia Says House Committee Weighing Probe Into Susie Wiles
- Just the News: Democrats map out probes of Trump family, top aides as White House warns of 'criminality'
- Daily Mail: White House sends chilling threat to top Democrat orchestrating 'harassing' investigations into Trump family: 'Blatant criminality'
- Conservative outlets did not mentionScharf's appearance on Newsmax, where he vowed to fight the probes Reported by MS NOW, The Hill
- Conservative outlets did not mentionThe Constitution's speech or debate clause, which shields lawmakers from prosecution over legislative acts Reported by The Seattle Times, The New Republic
- Centrist outlets did not mentionGarcia's Nov. 10 remark that the committee has been looking at Susie Wiles Reported by The Epoch Times
Which side made the stronger case?
We will email you when the story continues. At most one email a day.
- Stephen Miller's White House job
- The Hill: White House press secretary
- The Epoch Times, Just the News: White House chief of staff
All sources: 10 articles from 8 outlets
Liberal (3)
- MS NOW: Amid complaints about oversight, White House counsel appears oblivious to the hypocrisy
- NPR: White House warns Trump probes could be criminal. Rep. Robert Garcia won't back down
- The New Republic: The Trump White House Has No Clue How Congress Works
Center (4)
- The Hill: Trump, Democrats brace for a brawl on congressional oversight
- The Hill: White House lawyer vows to fight 'tooth and nail' against 'inappropriate' investigations
- The Hill: Stephen Miller 'should be preserving documents': Garcia
- The Seattle Times: White House threatens Congress, saying aggressive investigations could be crime
Conservative (3)
- Daily Mail: White House sends chilling threat to top Democrat orchestrating 'harassing' investigations into Trump family: 'Blatant criminality'
- Just the News: Democrats map out probes of Trump family, top aides as White House warns of 'criminality'
- The Epoch Times: Rep. Robert Garcia Says House Committee Weighing Probe Into Susie Wiles
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