“If investigations uncover evidence that we believe meets the threshold, we will not hesitate to move forward” with impeachment.
House Democrats, who are looking to the midterms, are laying the groundwork for a wide-ranging oversight strategy focused on businesses and financial entities connected to President Donald Trump rather than pursuing immediate impeachment, according to a report from Reuters.
Top House Democrats and committee staff have discussed relying on hearings, subpoenas, and document requests to pull records from firms linked to Trump's political and business network, the report said.
"We're not going into this to impeach," said a senior Democratic aide. "No one wants a failed vote on day one. The focus is on building a body of evidence through investigations that can hold Trump accountable."
Republicans currently hold a slim House majority, but Democrats may flip the House in November. A majority would also mean more subpoena power for the Democrats.
Democrats expect the White House to resist requests aimed at the executive branch but see companies, contractors, and financial firms doing business with the administration as a more viable path to information, according to the report.
The White House responded to the Reuters report, saying that Trump has worked to stop the "radical left's agenda," and a White House official said the administration is "prepared to respond to oversight requests, no matter who is in the House or Senate."
The sources who spoke to the outlet said that Apple, Alphabet, Palantir, Blackstone, BlackRock, as well as companies owned by Elon Musk, have surfaced in discussions with Democrats because of their contracts and exposure with the administration.
Groundwork for these investigations is already underway, according to the report. Democratic leaders have begun sending letters to companies, contractors, and other organizations tied to potential probes, requesting records and setting the stage for subpoenas should Democrats win the House.
Rep. Robert Garcia pointed to what he characterized as questionable Pentagon contracts benefiting the president's sons, profits tied to Trump's crypto ventures, and favorable arrangements for Trump donors, vowing that Democrats would "combat corruption when Democrats take back the House in November."
However, the companies are free to disregard the requests as long as Democrats remain in the minority, meaning the midterms will determine what takes place.
"If investigations uncover evidence that we believe meets the threshold, we will not hesitate to move forward" with impeachment, a senior Democratic aide said. The sources told the outlet that impeachment will not be the first move, but may come later on after the investigations.
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