White House warns of "blatant criminality" in Democratic probes

White House counsel Will Scharf warned that congressional subpoenas could lead to investigations from the executive branch.

Washington — The top lawyer in the White House warned the leading Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that investigations into the Trump administration that lawmakers plan to pursue in the next Congress "may cross the line into blatant criminality" and said congressional subpoenas could prompt probes from the executive branch.The message from White House counsel Will Scharf to Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat who is set to chair the Oversight Committee as of January, foreshadows a brewing fight between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats, who are poised to launch investigations in a slew of issues arising over the first two years of Mr. Trump's second term.Scharf sent a letter to Garcia, dated Monday, reminding him that investigative acts by Congress must be backed by a "legitimate legislative purpose.""Beyond being inconsistent with the clear, well-recognized constitutional limitations on your investigative functions, threats to executive branch officials designed to deter them from public service, or process designed merely to abuse or instill fear in the recipient may cross the line into blatant criminality," Scharf wrote.

"And issuing unlawful subpoenas with the intention of depriving citizens of their constitutional rights and privileges may warrant further investigation."Scharf cited recent statements from Democratic members of Congress who previewed investigations into the Trump administration they plan to pursue once they