Role of Political Appointees Questioned
Role of Political Appointees Questioned
Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) wrote Acting Inspector General for the Department of Justice Sean O’Neill calling for an investigation into reports that Trump Administration political appointees in the office of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche may have interfered in a Department of Justice investigation into a potentially corrupt clemency scheme.
The case involves President Trump’s commutation of a seven-year sentence that was being served by David Gentile, a private equity executive who was convicted of defrauding thousands of everyday investors, including many retirees. Trump’s grant of clemency not only released Gentile from prison — it also cost the government and victims more than $15.5 million in restitution.
“Recent reporting indicates the office of then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche may have intervened to kill an investigation into improper payments related to President Trump’s commutation of the sentence of David Gentile, less than two weeks into his seven-year sentence for his role in a $1.6 billion scheme that defrauded thousands of everyday investors. In light of Acting Attorney General Blanche’s refusal to answer questions on the matter, and the great importance of the fair and impartial administration of justice, we request that the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General investigate the decision to close the Eastern District of New York’s investigation into the circumstances sounding the commutation of David Gentile’s sentence.”
Acting Attorney General Hearing
In the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Blanche to be U.S. Attorney General, Blumenthal pressed Blanche on his office’s alleged interference in the investigation into allegations that Gentile or others acting on his behalf may have made payments of up to $2.5 million to secure his commutation. Blanche refused to say whether he had any involvement.
Blumenthal: “I accept that you are not going to answer my question, but I think there is a need for the Inspector General to look into the investigation that was apparently… stopped, as a result of your intervention.
“The Eastern District of New York was investigating these allegations and reportedly received a call from one of your top deputies, instructing them about the concerns of the Department of Justice. The investigation was stopped, by the Eastern District of New York. I wrote to you on June 23, and United States Attorney Joseph Nocella about these allegations. Then an investigation into this impropriety was shut down at the request of your office. Did you have any involvement or knowledge about the commutation of Mr. Gentile’s sentence?”
Blanche: “President Trump, as I’ve said a couple times today, has full authority to pardon or commute anyone convicted of a federal crime.”
Blumenthal: “I am asking you whether you had any involvement in commuting that sentence or in stopping the investigation into the allegations of impropriety of payment, to, possibly payment to Father Frank Mann?”
Blanche: “And I answered the first question. But when you say stopping an investigation there is an assumption built into your question that I will not concede. We will not talk about whether investigations exist or don’t exist, and certainly some leak about something that we supposedly did doesn’t warrant an answer either.”
Blumenthal: “There was an investigation, correct?”
Blanche: “No, that is my whole point in saying there is an assumption baked into your question that I don’t think is true.”
Death of Sen. Lindsey Graham
Sen. Blumenthal released a statement July 12 on the death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (D-SC):
“I am shocked and deeply saddened by Lindsey Graham’s passing. I will forever remember our last lengthy conversation this weekend, when he exulted at reaching an agreement on our Russian sanctions bill and said, ‘this is a big effing deal – we all did good.’ When we last spoke, he was as enthusiastic and exuberant as I’ve ever seen him. He marched to his own drummer. He could be strong-minded, fiercely driven, and sometimes unpredictable, but also deeply compassionate and sympathetic when he saw suffering and injustice. I was always impressed with his kindness to people we met along the way. We often differed, but he listened to me and others who might have opposing views and sought to bridge our
differences.”
