Democrats Plan to Probe Companies Tied to Trump

US Democrats in the House of Representatives are preparing a broad investigative strategy in the event they return to power. Instead of immediately seeking to impeach President Donald Trump, they plan to focus on companies and financial firms associated with him.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, they consider investigating private entities and external players to be more fruitful than a direct confrontation with the White House, which is expected to resist scrutiny.

Given the experience from the president's first term, Democrats fear that impeachment proceedings would consume Congress and allow Trump to cast himself as a victim. If they secure a majority in the November elections, they intend to use investigative powers, subpoenas and requests for documents to determine whether Trump abused his power for his own benefit, that of his allies or his donors.

Companies such as Apple, Alphabet, Palantir, Blackstone, BlackRock and Tesla have been mentioned in discussions. Democrats are also examining Department of Homeland Security contracts, as well as financial vehicles including 1789 Capital, where Donald Trump Jr. is a partner, and foreign investment funds. Separately, letters have been sent to Alphabet over YouTube's $24.5 million settlement with Trump.

Representatives Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin, the top Democrats on the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees, said existing investigations would expand if Democrats win the House in November. According to sources, Democratic leaders have already begun sending letters to companies, laying the groundwork for future subpoenas. Democrats involved in the planning say impeachment remains an option only if investigations uncover evidence of an impeachable offense, with the immediate focus on gathering evidence and financial oversight.

(Reuters, Max)