‘Pettiness is a thing,’ Robert Garcia warns as Democrats prepare to put Trump officials under oath

Reps. Robert Garcia and Sarah McBride outlined plans Saturday for Democrats’ incoming House majority, promising investigations into the Trump administration and a push to reverse healthcare cuts during appearances at Crooked Con in Washington, D.C.

The Saturday event, hosted by Crooked Media, a progressive company founded by former Obama administration officials, brought Democratic officials, strategists and podcast hosts together to assess the midterm results and debate what comes next. For the two prominent LGBTQ+ lawmakers, the celebration came with an obligation to deliver.

Garcia warned that leaving the administration would not necessarily spare officials congressional scrutiny.

“I think it’s like, maybe it’s because I’m gay, but pettiness is a thing,” he said.

“First of all, the vibes are immaculate,” McBride said as she opened her panel appearance.

Their prescriptions went beyond enjoying the moment. Democrats should investigate alleged abuses, lower costs and give voters a reason to keep the party in power.

Related: Sarah McBride didn’t give them the fight they wanted. She won anyway

Garcia promises accountability

Garcia, the California Democrat poised to chair the House Oversight Committee, joined What A Day host Jane Coaston for “Lawyer Up,” a discussion of Democrats’ investigative agenda.

His team had spent months preparing, he said.

“Day one we have to be ready,” Garcia said. “This is no joke.”

His priorities include alleged Trump family corruption, immigration enforcement abuses, the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and corporate misconduct. He called Stephen Miller “the architect of the cruelty in this country.”

“He better lawyer up also,” Garcia said when asked for his message to Miller.

Garcia described plans for field hearings beginning in Long Beach, California, and said Democrats could pursue subpoena enforcement through the courts rather than depend exclusively on criminal contempt referrals to the Justice Department.

“We have to use every power that we have, including the power of organizing, the power of public opinion,” he said.

Earlier, Garcia argued that accountability was essential to moving the country forward.

“We can’t just move forward without justice,” he said.

He rejected a choice between investigations and economic relief.

“We’re going to have affordability, and we’re going to have accountability,” he said. “And by the way, accountability is tied to affordability.”

As The Advocate previously reported, Garcia said afterward that his oversight plans would include examining the transgender military ban.

Related: Getting personal with Robert Garcia, who’s been leading the Democrats' release of the Epstein files

McBride urges Democrats to deliver

McBride, the Delaware Democrat and Congress’ first out transgender member, appeared on “From Anti-Trump to Pro-Something,” moderated by Pod Save America cohost Jon Favreau. Joining her were Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Rep.-elect Melat Kiros of Colorado, and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

She urged Democrats to prioritize reversing cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

“This president is going to have to choose whether he is politically going to die on the hill of preserving those cuts to people’s healthcare,” she said.

Her agenda also included universal paid leave, affordable child care, investments in elder care, training workers to build more housing and meaningful regulation of artificial intelligence.

McBride urged Democrats to stop treating every result as vindication for one ideological faction. Candidates should be authentic, unapologetic about their values and curious about voters.

For guidance, she invoked “my favorite philosopher, Ted Lasso.” Many Americans, she noted, are simply trying to get through the day.

“They aren’t necessarily listening to Crooked Media yet,” she said.

She was less charitable toward President Donald Trump.

“The only commitment this man has is to self-enrichment and seeing his name in lights,” McBride said.

His lack of consistent ideological commitments, she argued, could create opportunities to extract concessions. Democrats should advance their priorities and make him decide whether to oppose them.

Related: Pete Hegseth declared himself safe from impeachment. Then came eight charges

Raskin connects accountability to moving forward

Garcia said he was coordinating with Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland on their strategy for the opening weeks.

Two days earlier, at the Center for American Progress, Raskin connected Democrats’ governing challenge to the attacks on transgender Americans.

“Everybody can see now that scapegoating the transgender community is a substitute for having a real program for America,” he told The Advocate.

Republicans’ return to anti-trans attacks, he argued, had failed.

“It didn’t work,” Raskin said. “And we are winning red districts. We are winning in red states. We’re winning all over the country.”

Asked about balancing investigations with turning a new page, he rejected the distinction.

“That’s how you turn the page,” he said. “You turn the page by rendering accountability and justice for the people who’ve been victimized.”