Trump's AG won't rule out prosecuting Democrats who threaten to investigate
Attorney General Todd Blanche refused Sunday to rule out prosecuting Democratic lawmakers who say they'll investigate Trump officials, a day after President Trump ordered the Justice Department to probe lawmakers.
Key points
- Driving the news: In a Truth Social post Saturday, Trump accused Democrats of threatening administration officials and Republican donors with investigations and impeachment.
- The latest: On CNN's "State of the Union," Blanche acknowledged Congress' constitutional oversight authority but argued that Democrats' rhetoric had crossed a line.
- Asked whether DOJ would investigate Democratic lawmakers, Blanche did not identify a criminal statute or confirm that an investigation had begun.
What they're saying: Blanche singled out incoming House Oversight Committee Chair Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who warned officials, including incoming White House chief of staff Stephen Miller, to "lawyer up." "I would be very worried if I was a member on that committee," Blanche told CNN.
Additional details
- Garcia said his committee would pursue alleged wrongdoing involving Trump's administration, family and corporate allies.
- Why it matters: The confrontation threatens a constitutional crisis over the separation of powers: Trump is ordering prosecutors to go after lawmakers in a potential effort to hamper Congress' power to hold the executive branch accountable.
- The other side: Garcia accused Blanche of trying to intimidate Congress and said Democrats would not back down.
- Flashback: In February, a federal grand jury rejected DOJ's attempt to indict Slotkin and five other Democratic lawmakers over a video urging service members to refuse unlawful military orders.
- Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), accusing her of threatening young people who hold Republican views.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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