After the electoral defeat, the White House is already confronting the Democrats over their plans to investigate Trump

WASHINGTON – The White House issued a warning to Democrats regarding their plans to investigate the Donald Trump administration, going so far as to claim that such investigations—a routine oversight function of Congress—could constitute "flagrant criminality." White House counsel Will Scharf issued the warning in a letter dated Monday and addressed to Congressman Robert Garcia, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Garcia is very likely to chair this influential committee in the new Congress—under Democratic control, following last week's midterm elections—which will take office in January. Garcia warned Trump officials to "get a lawyer," just as his party was heading toward a resounding victory in the midterm elections. President Donald Trump signs an executive order alongside counsel Will Scharf (Archive) Evan Vucci - AP In response, Scharf wrote that "threats against Executive Branch officials, intended to deter them from public service, or proceedings designed merely to abuse or intimidate their recipients, could cross the line into flagrant criminality." The existence of this letter was first revealed by Punchbowl News. This was only the latest warning ahead of next year's showdown between the White House and the Democrats, who gained strength in the House and Senate; a clash that will have significant repercussions for congressional authority and the balance of power between the branches of government. On Wednesday, Garcia declared outside the Capitol that "Donald Trump is clearly hiding something" and that Democrats "will not be threatened or intimidated." "The truth is that he must understand that Congress is a coequal branch of government," he said. With the electoral victory secured, Garcia reaffirmed his comment about "getting a lawyer," and said the White House is "thin-skinned" and incapable of "withstanding any kind of pressure." Democrat Robert Garcia at a press conference in Washington AARON SCHWARTZ - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA "If you abused the American public, you should get a lawyer," Garcia said. "If you are a corporate executive defrauding the American people, you should get a lawyer." Democrats are preparing an extensive oversight agenda to examine how Trump and his family have grown their wealth since he returned to office. The Republican president and his White House have long denied any wrongdoing. Garcia also intends to examine the administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Other targets include the White House ballroom from the Trump era and other construction projects, as well as the Trump family's role in mineral-related deals and Trump's forays into cryptocurrency alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff. Independent committee Kentucky Republican James Comer, the current chairman of the Oversight Committee—who led an exhaustive investigation into former President Joe Biden and his family—told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had not yet read the letter sent by the White House, but stressed that the committee is "very independent." "Regardless of who occupies the White House, there will always be a firm desire for the Oversight Committee to serve as a check and balance on the Executive Branch, no matter the political landscape," he said. Comer called Garcia's comments about "getting a lawyer" in "poor taste," but added that, since the Democrats "won the election, it will be their committee; therefore, if he oversteps, I suppose members of his own party will try to rein him in." Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, during a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow - - kremlin DPA Attorney General Todd Blanche said this past Sunday in a CNN interview that there "could be" a crime to investigate if the Democrats' rhetoric were to become threatening. However, during an appearance in Missouri this week, he adopted a more conciliatory tone, noting: "Congress has oversight powers; it always has and always will. The Department of Justice and the federal government work with Congress to answer its questions—whether through subpoenas or written communications—so we will continue working with Congress." "Nothing I said this weekend, or in the past, should suggest otherwise," he added. Outgoing Kentucky Republican Congressman Thomas Massie—who has been critical of Trump—expressed his hope that Democrats will not waste their new powers on "nonsense." "I hope they hold serious hearings on real issues, and not another 'Russiagate,'" he said, referring to a previous congressional investigation into ties between Trump's first presidential campaign in 2016 and Russia. Trump repeatedly denounced that investigation as a "hoax." "I think there is real corruption at the margins," Massie said, referring to Trump and some of the people surrounding the president. Massie lost the primary election to a Trump-backed Republican rival. California Democratic Congressman Mark DeSaulnier—who is expected to be the next chairman of the House Ethics Committee—said he will not abandon any investigation despite the warnings coming from the White House. Attorney General Todd Blanche questioned the Democrats' rhetoric Stephanie Rojas - AP "If they try to intimidate, at least in my case, they will not succeed," said DeSaulnier, who was a Republican before switching to the Democratic Party in 2000. "I don't work for a mob, for a mob organization." Robert Garcia had announced on Sunday that tech billionaire Elon Musk and the newly appointed chief of staff, Stephen Miller, will likely be subjects of congressional investigations when Democrats take control. Garcia said the investigations will focus on Musk's involvement in the firing of federal officials by the Department of Government Efficiency, as well as Miller's role in Trump's hardline campaign against immigration. "I think there is a lot of interest, not just from our committee but also from other congressional committees, in speaking with Mr. Musk," Garcia said on CNN's State of the Union program. "Stephen Miller is at the center of the major policy decisions being made in the Administration, so he deserves to be subject to oversight and investigation," he added. AP and Reuters agencies