A Democratic member of Congress on Thursday shared that he has been contacted by the Justice Department about comments he made last week about Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, when he said that he and his colleagues should bring “actual weapons” to their “bar fight” with DOGE.

He also used a coarse expression to describe Mr. Musk — a fact that Washington’s top prosecutor noted in his letter. 

Congressman Robert Garcia — a member of the new DOGE subcommittee, which has already devolved into theatrical partisan bickering of the highest order — shared the letter from acting U.S. attorney Ed Martin on Thursday. In it, Mr. Martin questions why Mr. Garcia made the crass remarks about Mr. Musk. 

“At this time, I respectfully request that you clarify your comments from February 12, 2025. During a live interview with CNN, when asked how Democrats can stop Elon Musk, you spoke clearly: ‘What the American public wants is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight. This is an actual fight for democracy,’” Mr. Martin writes in his letter. 

“This sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk — an appointed representative of President Donald Trump who you call a ‘dick’ — and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry,” the acting prosecutor stated. 

Mr. Martin writes that he takes “threats against public officials very seriously,” and that Mr. Garcia should respond to the letter by February 24. 

“So if you criticize Elon Musk, Trump’s DOJ will send you this letter. Members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration. I will not be silenced,” Mr. Garcia wrote in response on X. 

The whole saga started when Mr. Garcia attended the first DOGE subcommittee hearing led by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who famously displayed a photo from Hunter Biden’s laptop at a committee meeting last year which was barely blurred enough to cover the then-first son’s genitals. 

“In the last Congress, chairwoman Greene literally showed a dick pic in our oversight congressional hearing, so I thought I’d bring one as well,” Mr. Garcia said with a smile before having one of staffers put up a poster board with a photo of Mr. Musk.

“This of course, we know, is President Elon Musk,” Mr. Garcia said. Sitting next to Mr. Garcia was a fellow Democrat, Congressman Greg Casar, who could be seen fighting back laughter when that line was delivered. 

Shortly after the hearing, Mr. Garcia was asked by a CNN anchor if he thought it was effective to call a government employee “a dick” at a public committee hearing. 

“Well, he is a dick,” Mr. Garcia responded.