House and Senate Democrats are starting to have preliminary discussions to coordinate potential congressional investigations into companies, colleges and law firms in the next Congress, multiple sources tell us.

Why it matters: The early strategizing on how Democrats could use the investigative power of committees, including subpoenas, is another indication of the party's growing confidence of victory in November.

• Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), all on the Senate Judiciary Committee, have been involved in the planning discussions on the Senate side.
• Schiff, the lead manager during President Trump's first impeachment, would bring significant experience to any Senate investigation.

📢 What we're hearing: Lawmakers in both parties believe the House is more likely to fall into Democratic hands than the Senate.

• The House also has some institutional advantages, including broader subpoena authority.

Zoom out: Democrats expect the White House to either stonewall or grandstand in any investigation. They also anticipate Trump officials invoking executive privilege at every turn.

• But companies, colleges and private citizens won't have that luxury — especially when faced with congressional subpoenas.
• Democrats want to know how and why major institutions — including billionaires, major law firms and universities — chose to cooperate with the Trump administration, according to people familiar with the conversations.
• That could include everything from donations for the East Wing renovation to funding agreements involving universities.

🔎 Zoom in: Democrats in both chambers have already signaled where their investigative interests might lie if they flip the House or Senate.

• This month, House and Senate Democrats requested information from a major law firm that agreed to provide pro bono legal services to the Trump administration.
• Senate Democrats last year questioned a fundraiser and lobbyists who were reportedly soliciting donations from major corporations and billionaires for Trump's proposed ballroom.
• And a group of House and Senate Democrats last summer questioned Harvard about its communications with the administration amid escalating tensions with Trump, Axios previously reported.

Between the lines: These conversations are happening even though neither chamber is guaranteed to flip.

🤔 The intrigue: There's a difference between investigations and impeachments.

• Despite efforts from party leaders to tamp down the idea, talk of impeachment is likely to bubble up again. House Democrats have already introduced impeachment resolutions against Trump officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The bottom line: Companies are bracing for congressional investigations if one or both chambers flip.

• And Democrats in both the House and Senate want a piece of the action.

Share this story

— Stephen Neukam

Trump's suggestion that Republicans attach the SAVE America Act to the must-pass reauthorization of FISA is already shaping up to be a major headache for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

Why it matters: Reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is always messy — but this time could be worse than usual.

• The House is expected to move first, with GOP leaders eyeing a vote during the upcoming work period so the Senate has time to move before FISA — which allows warrantless wiretapping of non-U.S. citizens overseas — lapses on April 20.

🚘 Driving the news: Trump told House Republicans at their retreat this week he'd like to attach the SAVE Act to the FISA reauthorization.

• A handful of conservatives, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), were already floating the idea of linking the two, warning they'd seek to tank FISA without SAVE attached.
• Johnson probably has the votes to pass FISA on the floor with bipartisan support, but the rule vote is shaping up to be a big problem given the opposition in his own ranks.
• 🥊 Conservatives have not yet said whether they would support the rule, but often utilize the procedural vote as leverage.

The intrigue: Conservatives' anger is bubbling over at Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) as the Senate prepares for a marathon SAVE Act debate next week that's likely to end in the measure failing.

• Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) referred to Thune's strategy as "performance theater" in a post on X.
• Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) accused Thune of "gaslighting the American people," adding: "This is nothing but a show vote."

The bottom line: If the Senate is unable to pass the SAVE measure, expect Luna to apply even more pressure, in part by attempting to grow the group demanding that SAVE catch a ride with FISA, a source close to Luna tells us.

Share this story

— Kate Santaliz

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) plans to stick around for at least another term — partly at the urging of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who wants the 85-year-old as "part of his leadership" if Democrats win back the majority in November, Clyburn said.

Why it matters: With former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 85, and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), 86, both retiring, Clyburn's role as an elder statesman will become even more pronounced.

• 💬 Clyburn told reporters today in South Carolina he had a "long talk" with Jeffries (D-N.Y.) yesterday morning and that the Democratic leader "was among those who asked me to stay."

The intrigue: Clyburn said Jeffries "expressed an interest in my being a part of his leadership if we were to take the House back" in the midterms. He didn't detail what that role specifically might entail.

• "It made me feel necessary," he said with a chuckle.
• ✅ Clyburn has plenty of leadership experience: He served as Pelosi's third-in-command — variably as majority whip, assistant minority leader and Democratic caucus chair — from 2007 to 2023.
• And after Pelosi and Hoyer relinquished their leadership positions, Clyburn stayed on as Jeffries' assistant leader for another year.

Share this story

— Andrew Solender