Trump's Cabinet secretaries and agency staffers are scrambling to hire lawyers ahead of threatened Democrat investigations after the midterms

From the Newshound archive · first published 21 October 2026.

Officials fear a 'target on their backs' if Democrats retake the House or Senate in November. They want their own counsel rather than relying on the Justice Department to defend the administration. Conflict-of-interest rules are likely to bar one firm from representing two staffers, so there is a rush to lock in the best lawyers. Democrats have already fired off a flurry of letters to Trump's inner circle.

Democrats on the House Oversight and Senate Judiciary Committees sent the letters in recent months.

The Kennedy Center renovation is one project Democrats appear intent on questioning.

Rep. Adam Smith said Democrats 'should try' to impeach Trump but warned red-district newcomers would call it 'partisan'.