Oversight Blueprint Independent resource for staff and counsel

FOR CONGRESSIONAL STAFF AND COUNSEL

From a credible lead to a lawful referral

A roadmap for the incoming House to keep oversight moving when the Department of Justice is a bottleneck.

  1. Pain

    Attorney General Todd Blanche previously defended President Donald Trump in three criminal cases. In our view, that raises an impartiality concern in matters involving the president.

  2. Solution

    Congress builds the record. With counsel review and committee approval, it can refer evidence of a separate state-law matter to a state attorney general or other office with jurisdiction.

  3. Outcome

    Congress can act on its findings without waiting for DOJ. State offices decide independently whether to investigate or enforce their laws.

Explore the oversight maps Find and call your senators

Leadership checked . DOJ biography · New York court filing

INTERACTIVE GUIDE

Explore the oversight maps

Open a box to see the next choices. Open a connecting line to see the authority, approval or evidence needed to take that step.

Explore the structureWalk through an investigationLessons and failure points
The dashed connection marks a separately authorized state referral. Congressional action can proceed on its own.

Open the five-stage roadmap and working documents

HOUSE

Prepare the legislative inquiry.

Start with the committee’s jurisdiction, legislative purpose and approval process. The staff package brings model rules, a scope memo and evidence requests together for counsel review.

House committee map · House readiness package · House Rule X · House Rule XI

SENATE

Coordinate across chambers.

Senate committees act under their own jurisdiction and procedures. Staff can coordinate research and lawful exchanges while each committee retains its approvals and custody decisions.

Senate committee map · Committee and hub authorities · Senate Rules XXV and XXVI

STATE REFERRAL

Find the office with authority.

Congress can pursue legislative oversight even when federal prosecutors decline to act. Federal criminal contempt still goes to a U.S. attorney under 2 U.S.C. § 194. A separate state referral depends on the facts and the state's own law.

The proper recipient may be an attorney general, local prosecutor, or regulator. Counsel must match the facts to the statute, jurisdiction and disclosure rules before transfer. The receiving office decides whether to investigate, pursue a civil remedy or prosecute.

Open the referral template 2026 attorney general transitions

Referral and jurisdiction guide · Example: New York Executive Law § 63

DOCUMENTED PRECEDENT

January 6 and the congressional record.

The House and Senate built separate legislative records. The Justice Department reported more than 1,500 people charged by January 6, 2025. Later that month, a presidential proclamation commuted specified sentences, pardoned other covered convictions and directed DOJ to seek dismissal of pending covered indictments.

Explore the records and proposed safeguards · House records and final report · Senate report

STAFF LIBRARY

Authorities, methods and model documents.

Check current rules and law before relying on these materials. The templates require review and approval by the relevant office.

SectionsAccountability