President Donald Trump’s administration has sent a letter to leading Democratic lawmakers accusing the party of trying to “abuse” its power by pursuing investigations into administration officials.
The letter, sent on Monday and made available to the public on Wednesday, is addressed to California Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia.
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Garcia responded in a statement Wednesday: “It appears Donald Trump has something to hide.” “Congress has broad discretion to investigate and supervise, a power inherent in the legislative power.”
It also accused lawmakers like Garcia of trying to “intimidate and interfere with the legitimate functioning of the government.”
“Threats against executive branch officials intended to keep them from official duties, or procedures simply aimed at exploiting or instilling fear in the recipient, can cross the line into an outright crime,” Schaaf added.
この書簡では、民主党が約束した調査を実行した場合にホワイトハウスがどのような行動をとる可能性があるかについては詳しく述べられていない。 This comes in response to similar threats from President Trump.
トランプ大統領は土曜日、トゥルース・ソーシャルへの投稿で「民主党は多くの人々を脅迫している」と書いた。 “This is extortion at the highest level and they must be held accountable for this.”
But Garcia and other Democrats said they believed the purpose was to fulfill a legislative oversight function.
In a statement Wednesday, Garcia argued that it is the Trump administration, not the incoming Congress, that is overstepping its bounds.
“The Trump administration continues to weaponize the government with threats of unconstitutional attacks on Congress,” Garcia said in a statement Wednesday.
“We are equal branches of government and we will not be intimidated by unfounded threats from the armed[Department of Justice]or the president’s lawyers.”
In the midterm elections held on November 3, Democrats gained large majorities in both houses of Congress, reversing Republican control.
Once the new Congress is sworn in, those majorities will allow Democrats to take control of committees tasked with conducting public hearings and issuing subpoenas to officials who answer questions under oath.
Garcia and other lawmakers recently pledged to do just that. Garcia has repeatedly said this month that Trump administration officials should “get a lawyer” and prepare for a subpoena.
The White House cited that comment, along with several others by Democratic lawmakers, in a letter this week.
Incoming Congresswoman Katie Padilla Stout, for example, echoed Garcia’s cry, admonishing “corrupt bureaucrats and billionaires” on social media with the line, “Lawyers, clear your schedule and put on your makeup for the cameras.”
Another recently elected Democrat, Richard Ojeda of North Carolina, posted a similar message, predicting a subpoena for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“I can’t wait to see him squirm in the hearing room,” Ojeda wrote.
Both comments were included in Schaaf’s letter to Garcia as examples of “abusive and wanton threats” against administration officials.
However, a move to impeach Hegseth could be revisited after Democrats assume a majority.
The committee, now led by Republicans, released a report this week saying there was no evidence linking Trump to Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking ring. Instead, he accused Democrats of being “obsessed” with trying to link President Trump to the incident, calling their efforts a “baseless witch hunt.”
