Each congressional Democrats and Republicans have now finalized the lists of members who will sit on committees this Congress, and that features the high-profile Home Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Rep. James Comer, the highest Republican on the committee, has already promised it is going to be “in all probability probably the most thrilling committee” in congressional historical past, and regardless of lately attempting to clear the air about simply what the committee has the ability to do, he plans to make good on guarantees in the course of the midterm marketing campaign cycle to guide an onslaught of investigations into the Biden administration, the president’s household, and quite a lot of red-meat conservative cultural points, just like the cancellation of Newsmax on DirecTV.

Democrats on that committee can be led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, one of many high-profile Home managers within the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, and he’ll be joined by an all-star line-up of Home Democrats, together with eight new members.

Amongst them: 45-year-old Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the Democrats’ first-year class president, who’s the primary homosexual immigrant to serve in Congress. Previously the mayor of Lengthy Seaside, California, a metropolis simply south of Los Angeles, Garcia has already taken on the mantle of Home Freedom Caucus gadfly — mocking a number of the proper wing’s most seen figures, like GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, for his or her conspiratorial fascinated with topics just like the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccine. It’s a private topic for Garcia, whose mom and stepfather died of Covid problems in 2020.

He and his first-term colleagues intend to carry these GOP investigators accountable themselves — becoming the new Democratic technique to go after their Republican inquisitors.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photos

I caught up with Garcia on Friday, when he instructed me he’s able to “tackle [their] bullshit” and contest each narrative the brand new committee tries to weave. Our dialog, beneath, has been edited for size and readability.

Christian Paz

So you bought your assignments and also you’ll be sitting throughout from a number of the most colourful, conspiratorial, and controversial Republican members of Congress. How are you anticipating these committees to behave, and what do you suppose it is going to be like to observe from the surface?

Rep. Robert Garcia

Properly, clearly, Kevin McCarthy’s put probably the most excessive members of his caucus on Oversight. We’ve got of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Paul Gosar. These are of us that take their cues from QAnon, which are attacking vaccines, which are obsessive about Hunter Biden’s laptop computer and the president. So it’s vital that we’re prepared each single day to indicate up, to struggle again with information, to push again with as a lot power as they’re. And we’re. I’m fired as much as take of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene on, tackle her bullshit, tackle her lies, and be sure that there are robust voices on our facet which are truly pushing information.

Christian Paz

Since you’re going to be serving on the Oversight Committee with a number of the most well-known Freedom Caucus members. Rep. James Comer, the chair, has stated to count on it to be one of the thrilling committees in congressional historical past. And you’ll have one thing like a star-studded solid of Democrats on this committee, too — Maxwell Frost, Dan Goldman, Summer season Lee, Jamie Raskin, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — have you ever had conversations along with your colleagues about what you’re attempt to prioritize, and what narratives you’re attempt to set or change?

Rep. Garcia

Properly, I’m actually excited in regards to the freshmen which are on the committee. I’ve been speaking to Maxwell [Frost, of Florida], and to Dan [Goldman, of New York], and to Summer season [Lee, of Pennsylvania] and I feel we’re all simply fired as much as tackle the lies and tackle the extremists on the opposite facet. Of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene have an enormous megaphone that they’re utilizing to harm individuals. Take what they’re saying about vaccines, for instance. It’s shameful that they’re inflicting hurt to People throughout this nation and so they’re going to make use of this committee to weaponize science and information and fact and so it’s going to be our job to name that out. I feel that we’re prepared to try this.

With the freshmen which are on this committee, and the entire committee, it’s thrilling. To have the ability to be on a committee with of us like Katie Porter and AOC and Jamie Raskin, after which the freshmen — we’re gonna be actually ready.

Christian Paz

A few of these points — Covid, immigration — are additionally actually private, proper? They’ve had an impact in your life and you’ve got a connection to them. So I’m questioning the way you’re fascinated with dealing with these subjects and what particularly you’re anxious about and anticipating from the Republicans.

Rep. Garcia

Chairman Comer has famous that the primary listening to goes to be on the pandemic, and it’ll occur [this week]. The very fact is that they’re going to make use of these hearings to attempt to dismantle help for pandemic prevention and that they’re going to assault how the federal government responded.

I used to be mayor of my group all the time the pandemic was ravaging communities. Colleges have been closed and other people have been dying. In my metropolis alone, we misplaced over 1,300 individuals. I misplaced two mother and father to the pandemic. And so I deeply perceive how vital vaccines are, how vital pandemic prevention is, and what truly occurred on the bottom. Mayors have been on the entrance strains responding to the pandemic. And if there was a failure in authorities, it was the Trump administration leaving cities and states to fend for themselves early on.

So I sit up for talking on that matter from a place of authority and of expertise, each of non-public expertise and private loss, but additionally managing a metropolis that President Biden referred to as [out as] having the most effective pandemic responses within the nation. He referred to as Lengthy Seaside a nationwide mannequin. The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, stated we had the very best response within the state because it pertains to the pandemic. And so I’m going to be very engaged developing.

Christian Paz

Have you ever talked with a number of the different freshmen representatives in regards to the particular points or objects that you simply all plan to confront or reply on?

Rep. Garcia

We’ve all already talked — all of the freshmen which are on Oversight — everyone knows one another, we’re all buddies, all of us help one another. And the large factor that we’re all united on, is that we’re not going to permit for the intense voices on the far proper to go unchecked. And so when you could have of us like Greg [Casar of Texas], and Jared [Moskowitz of Florida] and [Dan Goldman] and [Maxwell Frost], and so many others — we’re all ready for this second. And we’re additionally grateful to the management for believing in us to be that voice, as a result of we perceive the significance of this committee, and what the Republicans are going to attempt to do to the nation by this committee. We get that we’re on the entrance strains of this struggle.

Christian Paz

You’ve positively began that struggle on Twitter at the very least, taking some photographs at Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. What’s it about them that makes you significantly goal them?

Rep. Garcia

The 2 of them, nearly greater than most folk in Congress, have pushed absolutely the craziest lies and falsehoods. And so I feel it’s time for individuals to take them on, and never permit them or give them area to proceed doing this. The factor about our class is that we’re additionally very impatient and we’re aggressive, and we wish to guarantee that we’re pushing again shortly. And that’s one thing that we’re actually centered on.

Christian Paz

That’s actually attention-grabbing, as a result of speedy response and counter-messaging isn’t essentially one thing that earlier courses of Democratic members of Congress have been significantly nice at, particularly in right now’s media surroundings. What’s it about you and your classmates that makes you higher suited to this match?

Rep. Garcia

The group of freshmen coming in are very a lot in contact with our communities again house, we perceive the ability of speaking to the general public, to a youthful viewers, to of us who’re pissed off with politics. Of us like Comer, and Taylor Greene, and Boebert, and Gosar — all these of us don’t symbolize the mainstream of American politics or mainstream for actually something. They’re on the perimeter. The Freedom Caucus are on the perimeter of the nation. So all of us which are coming in as freshmen — you in all probability get a way of this — we’re unapologetic, we’re all pissed off about injustices on this nation, and for me, personally, once I hear or once I see of us like Marjorie Taylor Greene lie about vaccines that would have saved my mother’s life, that she would have completely been first in line to take, that’s the sort of stuff, to me, that’s not acceptable.

Christian Paz

It additionally appears to me like this new class of Democrats are higher versed in social media, cultural references, and making the most of a special communications ecosystem, one thing earlier committees within the Obama years, didn’t have or couldn’t do nicely. You have been tweeting about RuPaul’s Drag Race, for instance, when teasing Rep. George Santos and Taylor Greene.

Rep. Garcia

I feel that’s proper. One factor you could have from plenty of the freshmen is we come from very several types of backgrounds and also you began seeing that occur in Congress a couple of years in the past, when completely different varieties of oldsters began getting elected. It’s extra of a working-class group of recent of us. It’s of us which are possibly somewhat bit extra aggressive, somewhat extra impatient, so meaning we deliver our full selves. For me, sure, I occur to be a RuPaul’s Drag Race fan, I like drag, I feel it’s an incredible artwork type. And I’m not going to apologize for that.

When you could have of us which are attacking artists, like drag performers, and you’ve got of us which are attacking of us which are trans, they should be referred to as out. For me, as a homosexual individual and as a queer individual, I’ve a accountability to name them out. And I’m going to make use of no matter instruments I’ve out there to try this.

Christian Paz

You’ll even be on the Homeland Safety committee. What’s it going to be wish to be within the minority and attempt to get stuff achieved?

Rep. Garcia

Properly our plan is to win again the Home in two years. However yeah, not plenty of stuff goes to get by this Congress. Republicans are centered on nationwide abortion bans, demonizing homosexual children, wars towards books and ladies — however we’ve heard from some extra reasonable Republicans, enthusiastic about immigration reform, and so they perceive there’s a labor scarcity and immigration reform can assist.

Being on Homeland Safety is a chance additionally for these progressives which are on the committee … to deliver consideration to points round justice for immigrants, for asylum seekers on the border, and ensuring that these businesses are literally doing their job and never harming individuals. And we wish to shield the American individuals from all types of assaults, and that features home terrorists, and that features white supremacists.

Christian Paz

And also you’ll be on that committee with Marjorie Taylor Greene, too.

Rep. Garcia

Yeah, I don’t know what sort of luck of the draw I’ve that she additionally occurs to be on Homeland Safety, which is, like, completely insane.

However it’s going to be, once more, vital on that committee to push again towards the demonizing of migrants and the assaults on asylum seekers and being ready the place the federal regulation enforcement businesses can get scrutiny.

Christian Paz

And eventually, on a extra private stage — are you able to take the warmth? To face the onslaught of supporters these right-wing members have on-line or in actual life, right here in DC or at house?

Rep. Garcia

I’ve positively considered these issues. However I’ve been by greater than most folk, as a queer immigrant. Homosexual individuals [and] immigrants are a number of the most resilient individuals on this nation. This second requires a special kind of management and Congress member. That’s what our class brings and we’re fired up and able to go.