Durbin Requests Bondi, Pirro Preserve All Records Related To Investigations Of Senators Kelly, Slotkin, And Four House Members

Durbin Requests Bondi, Pirro Preserve All Records Related To Investigations Of Senators Kelly, Slotkin, And Four House Members

Records preservation request stems from the FBI's harassment and intimidation of the Members of Congress for reiterating currently law in a video telling service members not to obey unlawful or illegal orders

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro preserve all records related to investigations of U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), as well as four Members of the House of Representatives.

Senate Judiciary Democrats' earlier oversight request on the matter has gone unanswered for weeks.

In a letter to Bondi and Pirro, Durbin wrote: "I request that you preserve all existing and future records and materials related to: (1) actions taken by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin; and (2) any additional actions carried out by U.S. Department of Justice officials to investigate the other four Members of Congress who joined the Senators in a video restating the law of the land."

Durbin continued: "I make this request after Senator Slotkin revealed that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is investigating her for constitutionally-protected speech. This is an absurd and dangerous abuse of power on the part of the Justice Department, especially given that Senator Slotkin simply reiterated existing law. The Department's indefensible action coincides with other retributive actions the Trump Administration has taken towards the Members of Congress who joined Senator Slotkin in making statements of fact, such as Secretary of Defense Hegseth's ongoing retaliatory attempt to downgrade the rank and salary at which Senator Kelly retired from the military."

Durbin continued: "Preserving federal records and safeguarding information critical to congressional oversight is a legal obligation that you and all Department employees, including all employees of component agencies and offices, are required to meet. In accordance with federal law, all employees and officials within the Department have a legal responsibility to take measures to preserve, retain, and collect all documents, communications, and other relevant records, including electronic information and metadata that are or may be responsive to any investigation or a congressional inquiry. This includes electronic messages sent using both official and personal accounts or devices and records created using text messages, phone-based message applications, or encryption software."

Durbin concluded: "I urge you to ensure that Department employees do not delete or destroy any official government records, including 'information created, manipulated, communicated, or stored' electronically. As you know, any employee who conceals, destroys, or attempts to conceal or destroy a federal record may be subject to fine and imprisonment. Please provide prompt acknowledgement of your full and immediate compliance with these requests. Thank you for your attention to this important matter."

For a PDF of the letter to Attorney General Bondi and U.S. Attorney Pirro, click here.

-30-