WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, today led every Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat in calling on Inspector General Michael Horowitz to investigate the truthfulness of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s testimony at his confirmation hearing before the Judiciary Committee on February 12, 2025. Mr. Blanche testified at the hearing and in subsequent written answers to Members’ questions that he had no knowledge of the decision to dismiss the criminal charges against Mayor Adams, an assertion that has been contradicted by unsealed court documents, including a letter from then-Interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon to Attorney General Bondi, suggesting he was aware of the decision.
At his confirmation hearing, Mr. Blanche was questioned by Senator Welch about his knowledge of plans to dismiss the case against Mayor Adams. Senator Welch subsequently led Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee in requesting documents from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to determine the veracity of Mr. Blanche’s testimony before the Judiciary Committee. To date, the Senators have not received a response to their letter from the Attorney General.
“Two days before Mr. Blanche’s confirmation hearing, news broke that the Department of Justice intended to drop criminal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Mr. Blanche was twice asked during the hearing if he had any involvement in the orders to drop Mayor Adams’ indictment,” wrote the Senators. “In response to Senator Welch asking him if the dismissal was ‘directed by DC,’ Mr. Blanche stated, ‘I have the same information you have. It appears it was, yes. I don’t know.’”
The Senators continued: “On March 25, however, documentation surfaced suggesting that Deputy Attorney General Blanche may have, in fact, been aware of the orders to dismiss the case against Mayor Adams almost two weeks before he testified. Department of Justice documents unsealed by a federal court in March include a letter written to Attorney General Pam Bondi by then-Interim United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Danielle Sassoon regarding the dismissal. The letter indicates that Emil Bove, the then-Acting Deputy Attorney General who ordered the dismissal, may have spoken with Mr. Blanche regarding the dismissal.”
“It is a federal crime to ‘knowingly and willfully’ provide ‘any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation’ while under oath with respect to ‘any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee,” wrote the Senators. “As you are aware, the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Justice has jurisdiction over alleged violations of criminal law by the Department personnel. The false testimony of Mr. Blanche before the Senate Judiciary Committee, if true, falls squarely within that jurisdiction.”
The Senators concluded: “Accordingly, we request the Office of the Inspector General investigate whether Mr. Blanche was truthful in his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding his knowledge of the decision to dismiss the criminal charges against Mayor Adams.”
In addition to Senator Welch, the letter was cosigned by every Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat, including Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
Read and download the full text of the letter to Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
###