U.S. attorney demands Sen. Blumenthal preserve documents in White House ballroom probe

A U.S. attorney has called on Sen. Richard Blumenthal to preserve documents related to his investigation into donors for a White House ballroom project, according to NBC News.

The letter, sent by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Aaron Reitz, alleges that Blumenthal's inquiry threatens citizens by equating their association with the President and public officials to harassment.

Reitz described the investigation as an abuse of power, warning of "significant legal consequences" if Blumenthal does not comply with preserving the documents.

The White House also warned congressional Democrats that investigating the administration could constitute a crime, framing the probe as wielding Congress as a "weapon" against Americans.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter emphasized that the First Amendment prohibits Congress from infringing on Americans' speech and association rights, as reported by NBC News.