Updated

The White House counsel warned incoming House Oversight Committee chair Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., in a letter that Democrats' planned investigations of the Trump administration may amount to criminal conduct. PBS NewsHour reported that the warning was issued over probes that are a standard oversight function of Congress, and that the three-page letter, dated Monday and sent on Wednesday, was written by counsel William Scharf to remind Garcia of the constitutional limits of congressional investigations. The letter accused Democrats of abusive threats against President Donald Trump and his officials. Garcia responded that Trump appeared to have something to hide and that Congress would not be deterred by baseless threats from the Justice Department or the President's lawyers. Democrats are preparing oversight of how Trump and his family have grown wealthier since his return to office, the administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, the White House ballroom and other construction, Trump family roles in mineral deals, and Trump's crypto dealings with special envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump and the White House have long denied wrongdoing. Attorney General Todd Blanche said on CNN that there could be a crime to investigate if rhetoric became threatening, then said later that Congress has oversight authority and the Justice Department would keep working with it.