Gallego, Blumenthal Call for Inspector General Investigation into Reports Blanche Office Shut Down Investigation of Trump Pay-To-Play Clemency Scheme

WASHINGTON – Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) 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,” the senators wrote . “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.” The full letter is available HERE . Today’s letter comes after, in December, Senator Gallego led a letter with eight other Senators, including Senator Blumenthal, to President Donald Trump demanding answers about his decision to commute the sentence of the convicted fraudster.