Sen. Richard Blumenthal has rejected a Texas federal prosecutor’s warning that his inquiry into donations for a White House ballroom could violate donors’ constitutional rights, turning the demand back on the prosecutor with a request to preserve his own records.

Aaron Reitz, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, wrote to Blumenthal on Wednesday, November 11, directing the Connecticut Democrat to preserve documents and communications relevant to what Reitz described as an intent to deprive citizens of constitutional rights. His letter cited federal civil rights statutes and accused Blumenthal of threatening people for associating with President Donald Trump and other public officials.

Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has asked ballroom donors how much they contributed and whether they received anything in return. Reitz, who posted his letter on X, said the senator’s actions threatened Americans’ freedom of association. He asked Blumenthal to confirm receipt by 6 p.m. on November 18.

In his response, Blumenthal said the inquiry concerned potential exchanges of money for government favors—an issue he argued falls squarely within congressional oversight.

“The public deserves to know the terms under which dozens of American companies were persuaded to donate millions of dollars to the President’s vanity projects, and whether lawsuits were dismissed, contracts were awarded, or regulations went unenforced in exchange for that money,” he wrote.

Blumenthal said lawmakers have a constitutional duty to inform themselves about matters that could require legislation. A former U.S. attorney and Connecticut attorney general, he also directed Reitz to preserve records about the decision to draft and post the warning, including communications with the White House or senior Justice Department officials.

The senator set an earlier deadline for his own request: 6 p.m. on November 12. Reitz responded on X with “Received,” but reiterated his position that investigations must serve a legitimate legislative purpose. He said he believed Blumenthal’s actions “may constitute the initiation of unconstitutional investigations” undertaken for other reasons.

Reitz’s letter cited *NAACP v. Alabama*, the Supreme Court case involving an effort to compel the civil rights organization to disclose its membership list. One of the criminal statutes he cited, 18 U.S.C. § 241, has roots in the Enforcement Act of 1870, enacted to combat violence and intimidation against formerly enslaved people.

The exchange also prompted questions about why a prosecutor based in Texas was involved in a dispute between a Connecticut senator and donors to a Washington project. Asked about the letter, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “Any office could investigate that.” The source material did not establish whether senior Justice Department officials had directed or approved Reitz’s letter.