Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche leaves following a press conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 7, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Some former senior Justice Department investigators who were pushed out in Trump’s retribution campaign are expected to apply for jobs with House Judiciary Committee Democrats, according to Scott MacFarlane’s “Day Ahead” newsletter.
MacFarlane writes, in a “Hungry Hungry Hippos” metaphor, that the committee’s Democrats are racing to hire the “most talented investigators in the country” to launch probes of President Donald Trump’s second term, and that sources told him fired DOJ veterans will likely apply.
By January, he notes, Democrats will have subpoena power, authority to compel depositions and the ability to hold hearings on any subject.
Other committees are preparing too. MacFarlane says incoming House Homeland Security chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) formally told the administration to preserve records for planned Democratic probes of the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a move he calls a way of saying “Lawyer up!"
Meanwhile, incoming Armed Services chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) has priorities that include what he calls “the illegal war against Iran,” sweetheart deals and favoritism, military strikes in the Caribbean and Latin America, domestic troop deployments, and politicization of the armed forces. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), incoming Senate Finance chairman, circulated a memo on taxes, health care and trade.
MacFarlane also notes House Republicans must pick new leadership, with Speaker Mike Johnson facing demotion and Reps. Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Jim Jordan (R-OH) are expected to seek the top job. Likely incoming House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is circulating a memo in his bid to lead the chamber.
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