After the midterm wipeout, what will Democrats investigate? – The Democratic wave in Tuesday’s midterm elections, which gave Democrats control of both houses of Congress, puts the party in charge of congressional committees, meaning it can schedule hearings and issue subpoenas. That means that after the first two years of the second Trump presidency were not subject to much oversight from Congress, that’s about to change once the calendar flips to 2027.
What will Democrats concentrate on, with their newfound subpoena and investigatory power? Reuters looked at that question this week.
Donald Trump Back in 2020. Creative Commons Photo.
President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a business session with the nation’s governors, Friday, February 21, 2025, in the State Dining Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Harrison Koeppel)
The Investigations Are Coming
According to the report, the new Congressional majority will focus on the Trump family’s deals, while highlighting corruption as an issue, with an eye towards the 2028 presidential race.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), who will likely take over as chairman of the House Oversight Committee, tweeted the phrase “lawyer up,” while Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), posted the word “Subpoenas” to social media. Wyden also said, per Reuters, that one avenue of investigation that interests him is “agreements between the Trump administration and pharmaceutical companies on drug pricing.”
The report also noted that possible investigatory targets include Trump ally Elon Musk and the president’s two oldest sons. Musk could be investigated over anything from the contracts his companies have received, to his massive campaign expenditures in the 2024 and 2026 elections, to his work with DOGE in the early weeks of the second Trump presidency.
There is precedent for investigations into the president’s family, as Republicans in control of the House spent the final two years of Joe Biden’s presidency trying to prove financial misdeeds by Biden’s family members in their foreign business dealings, in what they described as the “Biden Crime Family.” Aside from Biden’s son Hunter, who was later pardoned by his father after facing gun and tax charges, none of Biden’s family members ever faced criminal charges related to their business activities.
Sarah Longwell, a former Republican strategist now with The Bulwark, looked at what strategy the Democrats might pursue, as the Trump era draws to a close.
“The Democrats will be less concerned with Trump and more about tying the corruption to the whole administration and ultimately to the entire [party],” Longwell told Reuters.
The White House Responds
“If Democrats choose to pursue sham investigations and radical left policies, they are choosing to work against the American people,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said this week, per Reuters.
Will There Be a Third Impeachment?
Trump, of course, was impeached twice during his first presidency, although he was not convicted or removed either time. While Democrats will win large majorities in both houses of Congress starting next year, they do not have the supermajority required to remove Trump from office, at least with Democratic votes alone.
However, the Democrats know that the two previous impeachments did nothing to prevent Trump from returning to the presidency, so it’s likely they consider it a waste of time to go through that charade again.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who will likely serve as the next Speaker of the House, said after the Democratic victory that impeachment is not a priority, and that the desire to “get even” isn’t one either.
“The American people don’t want us to get even. They want us to get things done on their behalf because life is way too expensive,” Jeffries said on MS NOW this week.
However, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), an impeachment manager in Trump’s post-January 6 impeachment trial, discussed a possible third impeachment in an interview on Election Day, per the Baltimore Banner.
“We’re not afraid to impeach Donald Trump. We’ve done it twice. He has 50% of all the presidential impeachments in American history,” Raskin, who may get the gavel for the House Judiciary Committee, told the outlet. “It’s Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and two for Donald Trump.”
However, USA Today reported that the new Congress could pursue impeachment of cabinet secretaries, starting with Pete Hegseth. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), a Republican who was defeated by a pro-Trump Republican in a primary this year, has announced a Hegseth impeachment push that he plans to pursue during the lame-duck session, although Democrats could take up that mantle next year, when Massie is out of Congress.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
