Democrats have outlined inquiries into President Donald Trump’s administration and family ahead of Tuesday’s House elections, whose outcome will shape their ability to seek compulsory testimony and records in the next Congress.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told Punchbowl News that his priorities include Trump’s family, the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and what he called corporate corruption. He also named the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Garcia has pursued immigration oversight while Democrats are in the minority. House Oversight Democrats said he went to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center without notice on Oct. 16 to examine detention conditions.
A House majority would give Democrats committee leadership in the next Congress, subject to the rules that Congress adopts. Under current House Rule XI, a committee or subcommittee can authorize subpoenas for testimony and documents, including from a sitting president. A committee can delegate subpoena authority to its chair.
A House Ethics subcommittee may authorize and issue a subpoena only with the affirmative vote of a majority of its members. The House must authorize or direct subpoena enforcement. The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel says individual lawmakers, including ranking minority members, cannot use subpoenas or contempt to compel responses without delegated authority.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries also singled out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at an Oct. 31 rally. Jeffries said Democrats would “run Pete Hegseth out of town” if they won a majority, but did not describe a procedure. Garcia and Rep. Jamie Raskin told Punchbowl News they were not eager to pursue a third impeachment of Trump.
The White House told The Washington Post that it is prepared to respond to congressional oversight requests whichever party controls Congress. Former officials and attorneys interviewed by the Post said executive privilege claims or court challenges could delay access to records and testimony. The Post pointed to oversight disputes during Trump’s first term as a precedent.
Reuters reported that White House officials have been examining executive options if Democrats win Congress since April. Voters will decide House control on Nov. 3; the next Congress will then set the rules for committee subpoenas.
