Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement after the Department of Justice published an Office of Legal Counsel memo declaring that the President could claim executive privilege over communication with his “private advisers.” This unprecedented memo has major implications for any investigation into Trump Administration officials, including the Epstein investigation, shady government contracts, and grifting projects by the President and his family.
“In one of his first acts as Attorney General, Todd Blanche launched a plan to hide Donald Trump’s crimes and corruption from the American people, and obstruct our Epstein investigation. This dubious expansion of executive privilege to cover Trump’s outside advisors is a clear attack on Congress’s oversight powers, and creates an environment ripe for corruption that protects only the President and his friends. We are ready to fight to uphold our power and authority,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.
In July 2026, Ranking Member Garcia and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin urged the Senate to reject Blanche’s nomination ahead of his confirmation hearing for his failed handling of the Epstein files and his personal involvement in moving Ghislaine Maxwell to a minimum-security prison. In June 2026, following the transcribed interview of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Ranking Member Garcia demanded the Committee bring in Blanche for a transcribed interview regarding the Epstein investigation. In January 2026, Ranking Member Garcia condemned Blanche after the Department of Justice (DOJ) had released only half of the Epstein files after months of defying the Oversight Committee subpoena and Epstein Files Transparency Act.
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