Powerful Dem sends ominous threat to GOP after election disaster: ‘Lawyer up’

The incoming chairman of the House Oversight Committee had a simple message for the Trump administration during Tuesday’s midterms, which saw Democrats take control of Congress in a stunning rebuke of the president.

“LAWYER UP,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) wrote on social media before both chambers turned blue.

Democrats on the committee, which is the powerful investigative arm of the House, have vowed to use their return to power to investigate President Trump, his family, his staff, and his policies.

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In an interview with Punchbowl News, Garcia specifically teased investigation into alleged abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under ousted Secretary Kristi Noem, corporate corruption, dead sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, the “Trump crypto schemes, and  “the ‘Red Wedding’ of Don Jr.” 

“We’re not starting from scratch here,” the congressman told the outlet. “There’s an enormous amount of work that has happened that is public, and there’s an enormous amount of work that’s happened that we’ve been quietly working on for many months.”

With control of the Oversight Committee, Democrats also get the power to issue subpoenas and the ability to call formal hearings. 

In his interview with PunchBowl News, Garcia acknowledged that the Trump White House might present a roadblock to his ambitious agenda. 

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“But we also have real important tools, especially in a majority,” Garcia said. “We have the power to go to the courts on behalf of the House. We have the power of contempt, and not just criminal contempt, but civil contempt that goes to the courts. We have the power of subpoena.”

Garcia dismissed criticism that by focusing on investigations, Democrats would be ignoring voter concern about the economy and prices.  

“People are struggling because of Donald Trump’s corruption,” he argued. “And so if we’re really going to take on the affordability crisis, we’ve got to take on the corruption of the Trumps because they’re stealing people’s money, their labor.”

A flurry of subpoenas is expected to target a range of administration officials. For their part, the White House has lawyered up, boosting the number of staff in the counsel’s office and preparing to argue that the president’s staff has “executive privilege” and doesn’t have to reveal anything.

Ahead of Election Night, Trump indicated that he would consider presumptive pardons for himself and his aides if faced with Democrat-led investigations. 

“I would if needed to,” he told The Post’s “Pod Force One” host Miranda Devine. “I would not even think about it. I’d do it.”