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Zorro

(18,915 posts)
Mon May 4, 2026, 03:07 PM May 4

White House lawyers prep staff for dealing with a Democratic Congress

Source: Washington Post

The White House Counsel’s Office is giving private briefings to the administration’s political appointees on how to best prepare for congressional oversight as staff begin to brace for the likelihood of significant Democratic victories in the November midterm elections, according to two people briefed on the topic.

The roughly 30-minute briefings have included a PowerPoint presentation about how congressional oversight works and best practices for handling it, according to the two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Staff from the counsel’s office have encouraged political appointees to be careful about what they put in writing and provided guidance for how to respond to congressional inquiries in a timely manner, the people said.

“It’s obvious to everyone that it’s very likely,” said one of the two officials, who attended a private briefing, referring to the possibility of Republicans losing at least one chamber come November. “It was a sober-eyed conversation.”

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, said the counsel’s office “has provided guidance to relevant stakeholders to ensure oversight compliance and that best practices are followed since January 2025.”

Read more: https://wapo.st/4waN65t

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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White House lawyers prep staff for dealing with a Democratic Congress (Original Post) Zorro May 4 OP
In other words odins folly May 4 #1
ha ha eShirl May 4 #2
So they already know they're going to lose ... and it's only May FakeNoose May 4 #3
Doesn't sound like an administration that thinks it can rig or cancel the midterms. Fiendish Thingy May 4 #4
I don't know, Fiendish... slightlv May 4 #9
They simply don't have the resources or the competence Fiendish Thingy May 4 #10
Gods, how I hope! slightlv May 4 #13
Dear Goddess, sheshe2 May 5 #20
I'm not so sure about the rigging luv2fly May 4 #12
Is their advice to be even more snotty, snippy, insulting, arrogant and condescending? Marie Marie May 4 #5
the first thing the dems should do is build a large jail to hold all the administration officials when they are held in moonshinegnomie May 4 #6
This one sounds good to me. sheshe2 May 5 #21
Mommy is coming home. NCDem47 May 4 #7
Best Option eringer May 4 #8
1) Shred everything. 2) Deny, deny, deny. NT mahatmakanejeeves May 4 #11
Good Advice But 2na fisherman May 4 #14
How to lie 101 progressoid May 4 #15
Simple: Ignore.. delay. lie. throw tantrums. lie some more. Have a drink. niyad May 4 #16
I hope that at 12:01 PM after the new Congress goes "live," Democrats just unleash the fucking hell hounds Miles Archer May 4 #17
This is really good news! It means in spite of all the voter suppression, dirty and possibly illegal machinations the Fil1957 May 4 #18
Not buying it. AZ8theist May 5 #19
"Relevant stakeholders" rpannier May 5 #22
Step 1: Follow Pam Bondi's lead AZLD4Candidate May 5 #23

odins folly

(644 posts)
1. In other words
Mon May 4, 2026, 03:15 PM
May 4

They need to educate the appointed staff that they will soon see how the US Constitution was designed to function. Instead of the do whatever you want mentality they are working with now.

I spent 2/3 of my life as a government employee/ military member, except for probably the first year or two, I was always aware of how government was supposed to work as designed by the constitution. That these worthless fucks have to be schooled is such a cluster fuck….

FakeNoose

(42,513 posts)
3. So they already know they're going to lose ... and it's only May
Mon May 4, 2026, 03:20 PM
May 4

This is pertinent now, because EARLY in 2020, Chump already knew he was going to LOSE the November election.

As much as he continues to deny the fact that he LOST, this proves that he had over 6 months to plan his attempted coup on January 6th. It was already in the advance planning stages before the 2020 election, because they knew (from the polls) 6 months ahead what was coming.

And yet he still insists that he beat Joe Biden.

Fiendish Thingy

(24,175 posts)
4. Doesn't sound like an administration that thinks it can rig or cancel the midterms.
Mon May 4, 2026, 03:31 PM
May 4

They know nothing can stop the Blue Tsunami in November.

slightlv

(8,022 posts)
9. I don't know, Fiendish...
Mon May 4, 2026, 05:11 PM
May 4

it sounds to me like they're trying to control all aspects... from who can vote, to who counts to the votes, to how to handle those democrats that do get elected - IOW, control how hearings, etc, are handled. If they can't rig the election via the SAVE Act or the SCOTUS's Jim Crow ruling, then they'll start trying to control the administration side to ensure that laws, bills, etc., that the democrats want don't come anywhere near to having a hearing. It sounds to me like they're just trying to cover ALL the angles. And that includes ICE intimidation at voting polls.

Fiendish Thingy

(24,175 posts)
10. They simply don't have the resources or the competence
Mon May 4, 2026, 06:17 PM
May 4

There aren’t enough ICE agents to affect the outcome, not even if they are only assigned to “strategic” blue districts, not when 2024 Trump +20 districts have been swinging 15-30 points for the Dems in elections over the past year.

That swing means republicans are voting for democratic candidates

SAVE act - dead

SCOTUS enabled Gerrymandering- still not enough to protect their razor thin majority.

, then they'll start trying to control the administration side to ensure that laws, bills, etc., that the democrats want don't come anywhere near to having a hearing. I


The “administration side” is controlled by the states, and in red states, republicans already control most, if not all, of the process. They aren’t going to be able to force changes in blue states or states with divided control of the legislature and state house.

Never forget this one absolute truth:

Trump is not omnipotent, and the states and the people are not powerless

Nothing can stop the Blue Tsunami in November.

slightlv

(8,022 posts)
13. Gods, how I hope!
Mon May 4, 2026, 08:19 PM
May 4
Nothing can stop the Blue Tsunami in November.


But every disappointment gets so much more disheartening...

luv2fly

(2,721 posts)
12. I'm not so sure about the rigging
Mon May 4, 2026, 08:14 PM
May 4

I worry it's part of the illusion they are creating, so that after November they can claim ignorance and pretend that all along they were worried they were going to lose, despite knowing the fix was in. I very much hope I'm wrong.

Marie Marie

(11,556 posts)
5. Is their advice to be even more snotty, snippy, insulting, arrogant and condescending?
Mon May 4, 2026, 03:37 PM
May 4

Cause they all seem to have that nailed. They are still all counting on pardons from Trump.

moonshinegnomie

(4,080 posts)
6. the first thing the dems should do is build a large jail to hold all the administration officials when they are held in
Mon May 4, 2026, 03:44 PM
May 4

you know they will lie thru their teeth if called to testify,if they even show up.

so the house shoudl use its inherient contempt powers to start locking their asses up

sheshe2

(98,539 posts)
21. This one sounds good to me.
Tue May 5, 2026, 03:44 AM
May 5

All those Ice facilities will be useful.

This one sound grand!

ICE planning facility for children and families on Pfas-contaminated site

High concentration of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ found in groundwater at former military facility in Louisiana

Donald Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning a detention facility for children and their families on one the nation’s most Pfas-contaminated sites, which also serves as a hub for the president’s deportation program.

The England air force base, now called England Airpark, is a sprawling former military facility in Louisiana where Pfas levels in the groundwater have been found at at least 41m parts per trillion (ppt).

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/25/pfas-chemicals-ice-family-detention

A toxic place for a toxic Admin.

2na fisherman

(366 posts)
14. Good Advice But
Mon May 4, 2026, 08:19 PM
May 4

If they follow it they may face obstruction of justice and perjury charges. After the midterm results are in, there ought to be a task force to oversee how much increased shredding of documents takes place and what kinds of materials are likely to be shredded. Leakers should report such activities by lower grade staff members tasked with doing it by their superiors. Maybe some smoking gun evidence can be saved from these overworked shredders.

Miles Archer

(24,454 posts)
17. I hope that at 12:01 PM after the new Congress goes "live," Democrats just unleash the fucking hell hounds
Mon May 4, 2026, 10:26 PM
May 4

And no, I don't suggest that at the expense of taking care of business and actually racking up accomplishments.

I mean that after the RIDICULOUS 16 months we've gone through, they're ready to do the jobs Republicans were unwilling and unable to do, AND they start...excuse the cliche...KICKING ASS AND TAKING NAMES.

I do believe Democrats are more than capable of doing both. And I can't wait to see it happen. Make James Comer and Jim Jordan look like LIGHTWEIGHTS. Get ELON MUSK'S ridiculous ass into a hearing, UNDER OATH, and SWEAT that sick motherfucker under those lights until he confesses every sin he and his little hacker boy toys committed.

And that's just for STARTERS.

Fil1957

(896 posts)
18. This is really good news! It means in spite of all the voter suppression, dirty and possibly illegal machinations the
Mon May 4, 2026, 10:46 PM
May 4

Republicans have planned, the administration expects those to fail and there to be a transfer of power to the Democrats.

I hope a big part of these briefings on how to prepare for congressional oversight hearings in '27 is to tell the recipients to be prepared to be truthful and to not break the law, and if they are doing so now, to stop it immediately.

AZ8theist

(7,660 posts)
19. Not buying it.
Tue May 5, 2026, 12:11 AM
May 5

This is a smokescreen.

All of the gerrymandering being done in the Confederacy right now is tilting the electorate Reich Wing.
I have serious doubts the Repukes will lose Congress in November.
I pray to Koresh they lose, because if the Reich Wing stays in power the country is lost to dictatorship for generations.

AZLD4Candidate

(6,977 posts)
23. Step 1: Follow Pam Bondi's lead
Tue May 5, 2026, 08:58 AM
May 5

Step 2: Say something that barely answers the question but says nothing, actually.
Step 2a: Use as much time you can draw out on Democrats, but keep your answers short with Republicans in order to lay down all the cover you can, even if you need to defend the indefensible.
Step 3: Defend King Donnie the 1st of Dipshit at all costs, even if it means you face Contempt of Congress charges.
Step 4: Wash, rinse, repeat.

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