Rep. Robert Garcia is the incoming Chair of the House Oversight Committee, and he has one message for the administration: ‘LAWYER UP.’

California Representative Robert Garcia took to X with a short and blunt message as election results showed Democrats flipping key House seats in states like Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. He had a simple message for the Trump administration: “LAWYER UP.” The post came as Democrats were projected to retake both the House and the Senate, according to The Guardian.

Garcia is now set to become the next chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. According to The Hill, the congressman’s warning signals the aggressive approach Democrats plan to take on oversight. The committee holds significant power as a watchdog, letting members call witnesses, request government documents, and issue subpoenas.

The Guardian reported that Garcia’s declaration captured House Democrats’ readiness to take on Donald Trump’s administration in the coming year after outperforming Republicans in the midterms. Garcia also has a clear list of priorities for his new role.

Potential investigations span DOGE and business dealings

Per The Guardian, he has said he intends to lead investigations into Elon Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump family’s business dealings, and what Democrats describe as abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also intends to continue the investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, where he has been one of the more persistent voices, having previously pressured chair James Comer to subpoena former AG Pam Bondi and current AG Todd Blanche.

The Hill noted that the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has bipartisan support and is expected to continue. Democrats on the panel have reportedly said they want to speak with more Trump administration officials about what they knew of his activities.

The shift in power changes the dynamic for congressional Democrats. According to The Guardian, they have spent the past two years fighting an uphill battle against President Trump’s agenda because Republicans held majorities in both chambers. Now, leaders like Garcia and Sen. Ron Wyden are preparing to use their new authority. Wyden, who is poised to lead the Senate Finance Committee, posted a single word on X: “Subpoenas.”

Garcia offered more context on the investigation process in an earlier interview with Punchbowl News, per The Guardian. “We’re not starting from scratch here,” Garcia said. “There’s an enormous amount of work that has happened that is public, and there’s an enormous amount of work that’s happened that we’ve been quietly working on for many months.”

He also detailed the tools available to the committee. “We have the power to go to the courts on behalf of the House. We have the power of contempt, and not just criminal contempt, but civil contempt that goes to the courts. We have the power of subpoena,” Garcia told Punchbowl News.

Democrats have already launched several probes on their own, per The Hill. These include inquiries into the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency and demands for information about various immigration agencies. They have also probed officials accused of profiting from their roles in government, including through Trump’s crypto ventures.

The Hill also noted that Democrats recently demanded information from former U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle over reports that she sought money from a Trump ally to pay off credit card debt before her confirmation hearing.