White House counsel warns incoming Oversight chair of criminal risk in aggressive probes
White House counsel Will Scharf sent a letter to Representative Robert Garcia, the designated chair of the House Oversight Committee, warning that aggressive investigations of the administration could constitute criminal conduct, officials said. The warning was delivered in Washington, D. C.
, as Democrats prepared to assume congressional control. Earlier reports from NBC News and PBS noted that Scharf had previously cautioned Garcia that Democratic threats to launch congressional investigations might be criminal, and that the letter reflects the White House’s effort to set limits on the incoming oversight agenda.