Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution , joined U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and every Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat in demanding the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) provide information related to the issuing of subpoenas to journalists at the New York Times, their family members, and third-party record providers in the aftermath of reporting by the newspaper on President Trump’s new Air Force One. The lawmakers are specifically probing the involvement of Acting Attorney General (AG) Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) Jay Clayton, who is currently the nominee to serve as Director of National Intelligence. Clayton issued the subpoenas, including those the Justice Department withdrew after a judge scrutinized them late last week. “The Department’s lack of transparency and aggressive action toward journalists – in this circumstance, seemingly directed by President Trump after he was upset by negative reporting – both follow this administration’s clear pattern of pressuring news organizations, including several attempts by DOJ to subpoena or intimidate journalists,” the Senators wrote in their letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche . The Judiciary Committee Democrats also highlighted how the subpoenas violate both foundational protections for press freedom and guidelines for DOJ lawyers laid out in the Justice Manual. “Section 9-13.400 explicitly dictates that requested information must be ‘essential’ to an investigation or prosecution, and that subpoenas ‘should not be used to obtain peripheral, nonessential, or speculative information.’ Yet DOJ demanded records dating back to January 1, 2026,” the Senators wrote , pointing to the overly broad scope of the subpoenas . The inquiry also demands details on the steps that were taken prior to the issuance of the subpoenas, the factual basis for the orders, and decision-making that justified the inclusion of family members on the list of targeted individuals. Senators Welch and Schiff were joined on this letter by every Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat, including Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). Read and download the Senators’ full letter to Acting AG Blanche. In his nomination hearing earlier this month, Senator Welch grilled Blanche about whether he supported Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel’s decision to issue subpoenas to New York Times reporters and his demands that journalists disclose confidential sources. In response to Senator Welch’s question, Blanche admitted to authorizing the subpoenas. ###