‘Trump is clearly hiding something’: Top Oversight Dem REJECTS White House threats

LAWYER SENT A. COMPLETE LETTER WARNING CONGRESSMAN ROBERT GARCIA. WHO. WILL RUN THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT. COMMITTEE BEGINNING IN JANUARY. WHO HAD PROMISED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE. ADMINISTRATION SUSPECTED CRIMES. HE'S GOING TO JOIN US HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. AND IN THAT WARNING LETTER, THREE PAGES LONG, THE WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL WROTE WE ARE. MONITORING THE ABUSIVE WHAT AN ADJECTIVE THERE. THE ABUSIVE WHAT AN ADJECTIVE THREATS THAT ARE. NOW PROLIFERATING FROM DEMOCRATIC, DEMOCRATIC, LEGISLATORS WHO SEEK TO ABUSE THE LEGISLATIVE.

PROCESS TO INTIMIDATE AND INTERFERE WITH THE. LAWFUL FUNCTION IN GOVERNMENT HE ADDED THE. CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS AND SUBPOENAS OF. ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS, QUOTE, READY FOR THIS? MAY CROSS THE LINE INTO BLATANT CRIMINALITY. AND MAY WARRANT FURTHER INVESTIGATION. IN OTHER WORDS IF YOU TRY TO DO OVERSIGHT WE'RE. GOING TO TRY TO PROSECUTE YOU FOR it? It is precisely as absurd as it sounds. It would be dismissed by any competent, well-meaning attorney general. Unfortunately, that's not what we got.

Mr. Attorney SENATOR GENERAL, WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN DEFENDING THE. ADMINISTRATION? THAT'S EXACTLY MY ROLE TO DEFEND THE. ADMINISTRATION AND SO THERE'S. BEEN SO MUCH VILE RHETORIC COMING OUT. OF THE INCOMING CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS. WE CANNOT LET THE RHETORIC TURN FROM JUST. HONEST DEBATE TO ACTUAL CRIMINAL CONDUCT. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A PROBLEM. ALL THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS. IMPEACHMENTS AND INVESTIGATIONS. AND GOING AFTER COMPANIES THAT. WANT TO BUILD JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE. UNFORTUNATE. AGAIN, THAT'S ATTORNEY GENERAL.

AND A FORMER TRUMP CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER, TODD BLANCH, APPEARING TO THREATEN TO. PROSECUTE. CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS FOR DOING. CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER STUFF. WHERE DOES HE GET THE NERVE, QUOTE, THE DEMOCRATS ARE. GOING AROUND THREATENING A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHERS WITH IMPEACHMENT AND. MANY. OTHER FORMS OF PUNISHMENT, DONALD TRUMP POSTED OVER. THE WEEKEND. HE ADDED, THE IMPRISONMENT SHOULD. BE AGAINST THESE EXTORTIONISTS. AND REPUBLICANS SHOULD GET SMART. THE STATEMENT, I AM ORDERING THE STATEMENT, I AM ORDERING. I LOVE IT WHEN HE DOES THE SPEECH ACT,

THE HEREBY, I WANTED TO LOOK INTO THE CRIMINAL ACT IMMEDIATELY. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP. THIS IS ALL SO PAINFULLY STUPID, ESPECIALLY FROM MAGA Republicans. They just named the Benghazi hearings guy. as their house minority leader, by the way. But now they want to prosecute Democrats. in Congress for doing oversight sometime. in the future? It's obviously bluster. And I think bluster from a place of weakness, but you never know with these folks.

I suppose go ahead and try. Just remember this is exactly the stuff. that people were tired. of when they voted last week. And they told pollsters that Donald Trump's. corruption mattered to them. Joining me now Congressman Robert Garcia, Democratic California. He's the incoming chairman of the Oversight Committee. come January. He received that warning letter. from the White House. It's good to have you here in studio. Yeah, happy to be here. So what was your what's your read of that letter? I mean on the scale of serious threat. to empty bluster. I mean look, I think everything that. Donald Trump.

should be taken seriously. He has weaponized the DOJ. He's someone that goes after his political enemies. But as a matter of something that is going to. change our. investigation, I mean the list goes on and on. And Donald Trump is clearly hiding. something to send out this letter to. threaten us at the Todd Blance of back. that up where our job is oversight.

I mean it's literally in the Constitution. I mean the Attorney General hasn't. even read the Constitution apparently. because he doesn't understand. that our job is to actually be a check. and balance. We're a co-equal branch of government. And so it is crazy that Donald Trump is. now going after his enemies. and somebody thinks it's going to stop us. It's only emboldened us more. You know, there's always been a. push-pull. between presidents and congressional oversight, particularly when run by a majority.

from the OTHER PARTY, AND I'VE SEEN THIS ON BOTH. SIDES, RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN INTERESTING. ABOUT THIS IS THEY ARE CO-EQUAL BRANCHES. THE THIRD BRANCH, JUDICIARY, USUALLY DOESN'T LIKE TO GET INVOLVED, AND SO YOU, WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS. YOU SORT OF STANDOFFS AND THEN WE. CALL SORT OF SETTLEMENTS, RIGHT? THAT YOU KIND OF HAVE FIGHTS AND. THEN NEGOTIATE AND THEN YOU COME. TO SOME AGREEMENT IS USUALLY HOW THIS WORKS. THEY CLEARLY DARNED GONNA I DON'T THINK. IT'S GOING TO BE THAT WAY, RIGHT? SO HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PREROGATIVE OF. INSTITUTIONAL.

OVERSIGHT WHEN YOU'RE NOT GOING. TO HAVE THE NORMAL KIND OF INTERBRANCH. SETTLEMENTS. I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT WE HAVE TO. DO IS JUST FOLLOW THE TRUTH AND WE UNDERSTAND. THAT THE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS. GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN. TO DELAY, TO DISTRACT. WE'LL USE OUR LEGAL AUTHORITY IN THE CONGRESS. TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PUSH AND ACTUALLY. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE D .O .J. THAT'S REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN. FOLLOWING THE LAW, NOT INTERESTED IN RESPONDING TO THE CONGRESS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ENGAGE THE COURTS IN A. WAY THAT THINGS. THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL NEW ROLE, I BELIEVE, WITH THIS CONGRESS. THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO ENGAGE. THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO ENGAGE. THAT'S THE ANSWER THERE, RIGHT? WHEN YOU HAVE, I MEAN, THEY they've sent a message. and they've acted this way before, right? Which is like, you know, usually even pit bull DOJ. lawyers,

or White House counsels, they would sit down with. your staff. and they would, you know, it's not like everyone. would be, like, all happy with each other or nice to each. THEY WILL PUT YOU IN JAIL. THAT'S THEIR APPROACH. SO THE COURTS ARE GOING TO PLAY. A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE NEXT.

TWO YEARS AND NOT JUST BY THE. WAY FEDERAL COURTS BUT STATE COURTS. I'VE BEEN TALKING TO. attorneys general from across the country, my own from California, obviously attorney general here. in New York and others about the importance. that the states continue their. investigative work. Because as we know, there is going to be a lot. of pardons flying out of that White House. There's going to be obstruction coming. out of that White House, but they will have less ability. to do so when there are partnerships. and there are real investigations. that are working at the state level. with our federal partners. So I've never, I've never been a member of. Congress. and I've never done congressional oversight,

but I do feel like I have a little bit. of an insight into the problem. that faces here or the challenge, which is we try to cover the corruption. and the misdeeds and the malevolence. And we've got an hour every night. if we can't get to it. And the question of, like, what do you do first? I mean, this is a real problem. How with. and how are you coming up with, like, targeted focused prioritization. because you can't do everything. at WE'RE FOCUSED ON FOUR MAJOR. INVESTIGATIONS. THE FIRST IS TAKEN ON THE TRUMP CRIME FAMILY,

WHETHER IT'S DON JUNIOR'S RED WEDDING. AND THE OLIGARCH PAYING THE WEDDING, SITTING ON BOARDS GETTING ALL. THIS MONEY OF COURSE FOR BEING. ON BOARD AND GETTING THE MONEY DIRECTLY TO YOU. FROM THE MONEY FROM THE PENTAGON. JARED KUSHNER, $2 BILLION FOR INFINITY PARTNERS. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. CRYPTO SCHEMES. ALL OF THAT MONEY. TRUMP'S FAMILY. TRUMP AND HIS FAMILY, INVESTIGATION NUMBER ONE. I MEAN, ALL THE GRIF. THE SECOND IS DHS AND ICE. I MEAN, LOOK, THERE'S REAL ALLEGATIONS. AROUND CHRISTINE OWEM, AROUND COIN LEWANDOWSKI. WE HAVE WHISTLEBLOWERS COMING FORWARD. WE ARE TALKING TO PEOPLE THE CHEMES.

OF THE CHEMES OF WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE. TWO SETTING UP A DEPORTATION SCHEME, A SCHEME WHERE DEPORTATION IS PROFIT FOR. OTHERS. FOR A HANDFUL OF VERY WEALTHY MEN AND COMPANIES. that will be investigated. Our third investigation is corporate corruption. So any CEO or company that's ripping. off the American public, whether it's surveillance pricing, or a bunch of other things happening to. raise food prices, Venezuela, oil COMPANIES MAKING RECORD PROFITS. WHY ARE WE REBUILDING THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE? THAT'S OUR THIRD LANE. AND OUR FINAL MAJOR INVESTIGATION IS A JEFFREY.

EPSON INVESTIGATION. WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE. GET JUSTICE FOR THE SURVIVORS, SOMETHING INVESTIGATIONS AND OVERSIGHT. THEY HAVE NOT EVEN HELD ONE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS. 2 .5 MILLION DOCUMENTS ARE STILL AT THE DOJ. THEY STILL HAVE THEM. SO THOSE WILL BE OUR FOUR. I'M TALKING TO JAMIE RASKIN ALMOST EVERY DAY. THEY HAVE ANOTHER SET OF VERY. INTERESTING INVESTIGATIONS, AND SO TOGETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. A VERY ROBUST AGENDA WHEN IT. COMES TO OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE. CONGRESS. I WANT TO SHOW YOU you a photo. that I've been thinking about.

for the last 48 hours. I think we have it here. You know, in the scale of sort of. moral deprivation, it's not in the top thousand things, I think, in terms of, you know, it's not like killing sailors in the seas. This is an aerial photo of the ballroom. and it's just the most insane thing. I cannot get over, and this doesn't even, there's another one.

seems one of the most egregiously. and aggressively lawless things that I've seen. Absolutely, and you can rest assured. that actually we have already. begun investigating why this ballroom. is being built and who benefited. The reality is that we have a ballroom. that's being built as some sort. of monument to Donald Trump to himself. It is not just sad but infuriating to. see the pictures and the size and scope.

of this ballroom, which we've all seen. But there's also real corruption questions here. What were these companies getting in return? There are serious allegations. about some companies even saying. that they were blackmailed, that there's allegations. and questions. about what was actually an exchange. for actually giving this money to the ballroom. And so the questions have to be asked. of the CEOs, of the companies, of the White House, of Susie Wiles as to how. this thing was funded, why everybody wanted to keep the donors a secret, of course, DEMOCRATS AS WE KNOW VERY CLEARLY,

AND WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES GOING TO BE? ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW THIS MONSTROSITY TO CONTINUE. CONSTRUCTION? I THINK HOUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE THEY HAVE TO ACT. IMMEDIATELY. THE PHOTOS THAT WE SAW, ESPECIALLY TODAY, THAT SHOW THE SCALE OF THIS THING, IT SHOULD It should enrage every single American. $25 million, one of the donations for. that ballroom. came from a company called NVIDIA. And a guy, the CEO, Jensen Wong, who stepped down today. I can feel this scandal, just because I've been.

around this business long a time, I can feel it growing. I feel like it's likely going to consume. Washington come I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO. COME JANUARY BECAUSE YOU HAVE NATIONAL SECURITY, AI, TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE LINE. AND THE PRESIDENT AND. AND THE COMMERCE SECRETARY SEEMINGLY TURNING. A BLIND EYE TO COVERING FOR A STRAIGHTFORWARD. BREACH OF AMERICAN LAWS ON EXPORT CONTROLS, IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECT. THAT'S That's right. And a CEO, as we know that essentially. is one.

of Donald Trump's close buddies. And so I strongly believe, look, I've been talking to leaders. of other committees on the intelligence side, those that are obviously overseeing some. of the armed services, COMMERCE, WHAT WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW I THINK IS. GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO. SHOCK THE COUNTRY. BECAUSE EVERY DAY WHAT WE'RE HEARING, REASONS WHY THIS HAPPENED, how the spy got engaged, and how she infiltrated the. administration.

and folks in the president's circle. But more importantly, what were the president's. motives? Why was he so obsessed with the CEO? Why did he push these deals actually. that benefit China? And so I think all of these pieces are. incredibly serious. There are real national security implications. and we've got to unroll and get to the truth. Very quickly, I think I know the answer. I imagine you are a yes for Hakeem Jeffries. for Speaker. You're in leadership. Yeah, look, I was told people there's. two candidates. running to lead the country. When is Hakeem Jeffries? What is Jim Jordan?

I'm with Hakeem Jeffries. And then the the second question is, do you foresee any challenge? Do you think there's going to be a challenge? We haven't heard of any challenge right now. I think, look, I think there's a big. conversation. in the country about what we're. going to do in the agenda. But Hakeem Jeffries is unchallenged. And there are other leadership races where. there are challenges. And we're having debates right now in the caucus. and the Congress about those. But I think what's important right now. is we apply the most pressure, at least from my perspective, for a real progressive agenda next year. All right, Congressman Rocker, see ya. Good to have you. Come by anytime you're in New THANK YOU. FOR JOINING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.