Jenny Carroll says the letters turn civil rights laws against the administration's critics

Where this statement fits

U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz tells Sen. Blumenthal to preserve records over his ballroom donor inquiry, citing federal civil rights crimes; Blumenthal calls the implied threat baseless

On November 11, 2026, Aaron Reitz, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, posted on X a letter addressed to Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the incoming chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The letter says Blumenthal had threatened citizens for associating with the president and gives him formal notice to preserve documents and communications relevant to what it calls his intent to deprive citizens of their constitutional rights in violation of 18 U.S.C. sections 241 and 242. It warns that failing to preserve them could bring sanctions or other penalties, applies the demand to his staff and campaign personnel, and asks him to confirm in writing by November 18. In his post, Reitz wrote that he was taking the first step to stop an abuse of power. The same day, Blumenthal called the implied threat of an investigation baseless, said he would not be intimidated and sent Reitz a letter directing him to preserve his own communications with the White House and senior Justice Department officials about the decision to draft and post the letter. Reitz replied on X that valid investigations need a legitimate legislative purpose. On November 12 he sent Sen. Elissa Slotkin a similar letter about her comments on holding people close to the president accountable.