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Blanche says no criminal probe of Democrats’ words; U.S. attorney warns Blumenthal

What’s new: Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Thursday there were no ongoing criminal investigations into lawmakers’ words.

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 16 outlets across the spectrum.

26 articles in total, 3 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

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Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday there are no ongoing criminal investigations into words spoken by incoming Democratic lawmakers. Earlier, U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz sent Sen. Richard Blumenthal a letter dated Nov. 11 asking him to preserve records from his inquiry into donors to President Trump’s White House ballroom. The letter accused Blumenthal of using oversight to harass private citizens and warned of significant legal consequences. Blumenthal called the implied investigation baseless and said, “I will not be intimidated.”

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Attorney General Todd Blanche said there are no ongoing criminal investigations into words spoken by incoming Democratic lawmakers.

    Reported byFar Left1Left1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The New Republic
    Left
    NBC News
    Right
    Washington Examiner

  2. U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz sent Sen. Richard Blumenthal a letter dated Nov. 11 asking him to preserve records from his ballroom donor inquiry.

    Reported byCenter2Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    The Hill, United Press International
    Far Right
    Fox News, The Epoch Times

  3. Reitz’s letter accused Blumenthal of using congressional oversight to harass private citizens.

    One outletThe Hill· Center

  4. The letter implied a Justice Department investigation of Blumenthal and warned of significant legal consequences.

    Reported byLeft1Center2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Center
    PBS NewsHour, The Hill

  5. Blumenthal, who is set to chair a Senate investigations subcommittee, called the implied investigation baseless and said “I will not be intimidated.”

    Reported byLeft1Center1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Bloomberg
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Far Right
    Fox News

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Questions the coverage answers differently, and who says what.

  • Is Blumenthal’s donor inquiry harassing private citizens?

    Reitz’s letter accuses Blumenthal of using congressional oversight to harass private citizens. Blumenthal says the implied investigation is baseless and that he will not be intimidated.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three sides report Blanche saying there are no ongoing criminal investigations into Democrats’ words and Reitz’s records-preservation letter to Blumenthal. The left stresses Blanche’s contradictions, the center the DOJ threat, the right the prosecutor’s demand.

  • the left

    7 outlets

    Far Left headlines cast Blanche’s statements as hypocrisy or forced concessions, with “Goon” and “Forced to Admit”, while Left headlines like Bloomberg’s and NBC’s report his denial and Blumenthal’s defense neutrally.

    Todd Blanche Loaded verb“Forced to Admit”Forced implies Blanche was compelled against his will, a judgement the reporting does not establish.More neutral: SaysDisagree with this highlight? Free Speech Is Not a Crime
    The New RepublicFar LeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    3 outlets

    Center headlines report the DOJ threat and records demand in neutral terms, attributing the warning to the prosecutor or the Justice Department and Blumenthal’s own words.

    DOJ threatens Blumenthal with ‘significant legal consequences’ over ballroom probe
    The HillCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    6 outlets · 2 opinion

    Far Right headlines frame Blumenthal as trying to weaponize Congress, Fox leads with his refusal to be intimidated, and the Examiner and Epoch Times lead with the prosecutor’s demand or Blanche’s denial.

    Federal Prosecutor Demands Blumenthal Preserve Documents in Ballroom Probe
    The Epoch TimesFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left20

    ominousTrump loyalistthreatenedpet project

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right10

    crusadecaught fudgingExposingan illegal threat

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    ominousMore neutral: legal

    The adjective adds a menacing tone that the reported letter itself does not establish.

    A Trump-appointed federal prosecutor issued an ominous legal warning to a Democratic senator Wednesday, demanding that he preserve documents…

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    Trump loyalistMore neutral: Trump-appointed

    The label pre-judges the prosecutor by his loyalty instead of his office, which is the fact a reader needs.

    A Trump loyalist serving as a top federal prosecutor has threatened a Democratic senator with…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    threatenedMore neutral: warned

    The verb presents the letter as a threat before its intent is established, while the letter’s own words are a warning.

    A Trump loyalist serving as a top federal prosecutor has threatened a Democratic senator with “legal consequences” over his investigation into the…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    pet projectMore neutral: project

    The phrase dismisses the ballroom as a personal whim, a judgement the coverage does not establish.

    …examining whether companies and wealthy individuals helped finance Donald Trump’s pet project in return for favorable treatment from his administration, and demanded…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

Show 26 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded modifier

    Trump DOJ loyalistMore neutral: Trump-appointed Justice Department prosecutor

    The label pre-judges the prosecutor by his loyalty instead of his office.

    A Trump DOJ loyalist has issued a legal warning to a senator investigating the president’s donors.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Dehumanizing label

    Trump GoonMore neutral: Trump Justice Department prosecutor

    The label reduces a federal prosecutor to a contemptible category instead of naming his office or role.

    Trump Goon’s Wild Ballroom Threat to Dems Exposed

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    WildMore neutral: Ballroom Warning to Dems

    The adjective adds drama to a threat that the headline has not established.

    Trump Goon’s Wild Ballroom Threat to Dems Exposed

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    ExposedMore neutral: reported

    The verb presents the warning as a revealed wrongdoing rather than a reported letter.

    Trump Goon’s Wild Ballroom Threat to Dems Exposed

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    crusadeMore neutral: inquiry

    “Crusade” casts an ordinary oversight inquiry as a campaign with a predetermined aim.

    …January, but once his party clinched the majority in the upper chamber, he began his crusade to expose every private donor helping to fund the new White House ballroom.

    Used byThe Daily Wire (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    caught fudgingMore neutral: misstated

    “Fudging” asserts intent beyond the documented misstatement of his military service.

    Blumenthal, who became a household name when he was caught fudging the details of his stateside military service to make it sound as though he’d…

    Used byThe Daily Wire (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    ExposingMore neutral: identifying

    “Exposing” presumes the donors are hiding wrongdoing, which the coverage does not establish.

    Trump DOJ And Top Dem Draw Battle Lines Over Exposing Anonymous Ballroom Donors

    Used byThe Daily Wire (Far Right)

  • Absolutist framing

    an illegal threatMore neutral: a threat the senator disputes

    The headline presents a contested legal judgment about the probe as settled fact.

    attorney warns Blumenthal that his White House ballroom probe is an illegal threat

    Used byThe Washington Times (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    threatens paybackMore neutral: warns of consequences for

    The phrase asserts a motive of retaliation that the letter does not state.

    Top federal prosecutor threatens payback for investigations into whether Trump’s $400 million ballroom donors are getting…

    Used byThe Independent (Left)

  • Loaded verb

    Weaponize CongressMore neutral: Investigating Congress

    The headline presents the senator’s conduct as an attempt at abuse, which the reported letter alleges but does not establish.

    This US Attorney Just Put Dem Senator on Notice for Trying to Weaponize Congress

    Used byTownhall (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    vanity ballroomMore neutral: White House ballroom

    ‘Vanity’ judges the purpose of the project before any evidence is weighed.

    …the wealthy private donors who funded President Trump’s $400 million White House vanity ballroom.

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    or Else!More neutral: DOJ tells Democratic senator to stop ballroom investigation

    The exclamation and ‘or Else’ add a menacing tone that the reported letter, which asks for document preservation, does not state.

    DOJ to Democratic Senator: Stop Your Ballroom Investigation or Else!

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    partisan investigationsMore neutral: investigations

    Calling the oversight partisan pre-judges the motive of the lawmakers without evidence in the excerpt.

    …the Trump administration, days after he said lawmakers attempting to open partisan investigations against the administration could be “a crime.” “There’s no ongoing…

    Used byWashington Examiner (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    scrambledMore neutral: responded

    The verb asserts a state of panic that the description does not document.

    Attorney General Todd Blanche scrambled after being exposed for his hypocrisy for threatening to prosecute congressional…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    exposed for his hypocrisyMore neutral: asked about his warning to Democrats

    Stating that he was exposed for hypocrisy presents a contested judgement as an established fact.

    Attorney General Todd Blanche scrambled after being exposed for his hypocrisy for threatening to prosecute congressional Democrats who launch…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    word saladMore neutral: gave an indirect answer

    The label dismisses his answer as incoherent rather than describing what he said.

    AG Todd Blanche served up a word salad when pressed on his warning to Democrats.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Dehumanizing label

    GoonMore neutral: Attorney General Todd Blanche

    Calling the attorney general a goon reduces him to a contemptible category without establishing facts about his conduct.

    Trump’s Goon Cornered on Crackpot Threats to Democrats

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    CorneredMore neutral: questioned

    The verb presents a press conference exchange as a dramatic defeat rather than describing the questions asked.

    Trump’s Goon Cornered on Crackpot Threats to Democrats

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Delegitimizing label

    CrackpotMore neutral: threats

    Calling the threats crackpot dismisses them before the reader has weighed the facts.

    Trump’s Goon Cornered on Crackpot Threats to Democrats

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    controversial past claimsMore neutral: past claims

    Calls his past service claims controversial, a judgement the article presents as background.

    …a constitutional warning and a sign-off that seemed aimed at the senator's controversial past claims of service in Vietnam.

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Loaded modifier

    Tough Guy ActMore neutral: Blumenthal’s public stance

    Mocking label that pre-judges Blumenthal’s stance rather than describing it.

    Richard Blumenthal’s Tough Guy Act Gets Roundhoused by a Texas Prosecutor Who Went There on Vietnam

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Gets RoundhousedMore neutral: Is answered by

    Sports-style verb that presents the exchange as a winner and loser rather than as a reported response.

    Richard Blumenthal’s Tough Guy Act Gets Roundhoused by a Texas Prosecutor Who Went There on Vietnam

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Went There on VietnamMore neutral: Referred to Blumenthal’s Vietnam service claims

    Implies the prosecutor made a personal attack on Blumenthal’s record, which the article does not establish.

    Richard Blumenthal’s Tough Guy Act Gets Roundhoused by a Texas Prosecutor Who Went There on Vietnam

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    has admittedMore neutral: has said

    Admitted implies a concession or reluctance, while the interview content is better described as saying.

    Attorney General Todd Blanche has admitted that there was absolutely nothing illegal about Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin’s…

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    supposedlyMore neutral: alleged

    Supposedly casts doubt on the remark before the outlet explains what was said.

    …that there was absolutely nothing illegal about Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin’s supposedly “extortionist” remark about working for Donald Trump.

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    Forced to AdmitMore neutral: Says

    Forced implies Blanche was compelled against his will, a judgement the reporting does not establish.

    Todd Blanche Forced to Admit Free Speech Is Not a Crime

    Used byThe New Republic (Far Left)

Words quoted from someone else (2)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Loaded verb

    Quoted

    weaponizingMore neutral: using the Justice Department against

    The verb asserts a motive for the Justice Department’s conduct that the coverage does not establish.

    “The Trump Administration is so afraid of transparency and oversight that they are weaponizing the Department of Justice,” Sen.

    Quoted byMS NOW (Far Left)

    These are Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

  • Delegitimizing label

    Quoted

    hasn't even read the ConstitutionMore neutral: Garcia says Blanche misunderstands Congress’s oversight power

    The insult dismisses Blanche’s understanding without evidence, and it is a judgement the reporting does not establish.

    Garcia: Blanche 'hasn't even read the Constitution'

    Quoted byThe Hill (Center)

    These are Robert Garcia’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

7 outlets

Leads with

  • Blanche’s contradictions on speech and crime
  • Slotkin remark and Trump’s demand for an investigation
  • administration intimidation of Democrats
See the 7 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

3 outlets

Leads with

  • the DOJ threat to Blumenthal
  • the records-preservation demand
  • Blumenthal’s response
See the 3 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • The HillCenter

    Garcia: Blanche 'Delegitimizing label“hasn't even read the Constitution”The insult dismisses Blanche’s understanding without evidence, and it is a judgement the reporting does not establish.More neutral: Garcia says Blanche misunderstands Congress’s oversight powerThese are Robert Garcia’s words. The outlet is reporting them.Disagree with this highlight?'

    Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia (Calif.) on Thursday accused Attorney General Todd Blanche of failing to understand the constitutional power of Congress to provide oversight of the executive and judicial branches of government. …

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)
    1 more from The Hill
  • PBS NewsHourCenterAssociated Press report

    Sen. Blumenthal says federal prosecutor attempting to investigate him for conducting an inquiry

    Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who is set to chair the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations when the Democratic majority takes control of the Senate next year, said the implied investigation is baseless.

    Read at PBS NewsHour (opens in a new tab)
  • United Press InternationalCenter

    U.S. attorney demands Blumenthal preserve ballroom probe documents

    A U.S. attorney demanded that Sen. Richard Blumenthal preserve all documents concerning his ballroom probe into potential conflicts of interest.

    Read at United Press International (opens in a new tab)

From the right

6 outlets · 2 opinion

Leads with

  • the prosecutor’s records-preservation demand
  • Blumenthal’s alleged weaponizing of Congress
  • Blanche’s denial of criminal probes
See the 8 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • Washington ExaminerRight

    ‘No ongoing investigations’ into Democrats’ oversight threats, Blanche says

    Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday that the Justice Department has no active criminal investigations into Democratic lawmakers’ remarks about their plans to scrutinize the Trump administration, days after he said lawmakers attempting to open Loaded modifier“partisan investigations”Calling the oversight partisan pre-judges the motive of the lawmakers without evidence in the excerpt.More neutral: investigationsDisagree with this highlight? …

    Read at Washington Examiner (opens in a new tab)
    2 more from Washington Examiner
  • Fox NewsFar Right

    US attorney and Senate Dem spar in dueling letters demanding records preservation: 'I will not be intimidated'

    Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut responded to a letter issued by U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz, declaring, "I will not be intimidated."

    Read at Fox News (opens in a new tab)
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    Federal Prosecutor Demands Blumenthal Preserve Documents in Ballroom Probe

    U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz ordered the Connecticut Democrat to preserve records tied to his ballroom donor inquiry, citing civil rights laws.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
  • TownhallFar Right

    This US Attorney Just Put Dem Senator on Notice for Trying to Loaded verb“Weaponize Congress”The headline presents the senator’s conduct as an attempt at abuse, which the reported letter alleges but does not establish.More neutral: Investigating CongressDisagree with this highlight?

    It appears the Trump administration is taking action against Democrats, threatening more investigations now that they won back control of the House and Senate.

    Read at Townhall (opens in a new tab)
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Texas U.S. attorney warns Blumenthal that his White House ballroom probe is Absolutist framing“an illegal threat”The headline presents a contested legal judgment about the probe as settled fact.More neutral: a threat the senator disputesDisagree with this highlight?

    A Department of Justice official accused Sen. Richard Blumenthal of harassing citizens in his investigation into pay-for-play allegations about White House ballroom donors.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    Justice Department warns Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal over probe of Trump ballroom donors

    A Texas federal prosecutor accused Sen. Richard Blumenthal Wednesday of trying to intimidate donors to President Trump’s under-construction White House ballroom by promising to investigate pay-for-play allegations connected to the project.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • RedStateFar RightOpinion

    Richard Blumenthal’s Loaded modifier“Tough Guy Act”Mocking label that pre-judges Blumenthal’s stance rather than describing it.More neutral: Blumenthal’s public stanceDisagree with this highlight? Loaded verb“Gets Roundhoused”Sports-style verb that presents the exchange as a winner and loser rather than as a reported response.More neutral: Is answered byDisagree with this highlight? by a Texas Prosecutor Who Loaded verb“Went There on Vietnam”Implies the prosecutor made a personal attack on Blumenthal’s record, which the article does not establish.More neutral: Referred to Blumenthal’s Vietnam service claimsDisagree with this highlight?

    Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spent Thursday morning telling anyone who would listen that he would not be intimidated by a Texas federal prosecutor. No, sir.

    Read at RedState (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily WireFar RightOpinion

    Trump DOJ And Top Dem Draw Battle Lines Over Loaded verb“Exposing”“Exposing” presumes the donors are hiding wrongdoing, which the coverage does not establish.More neutral: identifyingDisagree with this highlight? Anonymous Ballroom Donors

    Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) won’t officially have control of the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations until January, but once his party clinched the majority in the upper chamber, he began his crusade to expose every private donor helping to fund the new White …

    Read at The Daily Wire (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    Raw Story, Nov 11, 7:35 PM EST

  • Center

    6 hr 51 min later

    Its first report, Nov 12, 2:26 AM EST

  • Right

    3 hr 27 min later

    Its first report, Nov 11, 11:02 PM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Raw StoryFar LeftNov 11, 7:35 PM EST
  2. NBC NewsLeftNov 11, 9:11 PM EST
  3. Washington ExaminerRightNov 11, 11:02 PM EST
  4. United Press InternationalCenterNov 12, 2:26 AM EST
  5. The Daily BeastFar LeftNov 12, 5:48 AM EST
  6. New York PostRightNov 12, 7:08 AM EST
  7. MS NOWFar LeftNov 12, 8:56 AM EST
  8. The HillCenterNov 12, 8:57 AM EST
  9. The Washington TimesRightNov 12, 9:47 AM EST
  10. The IndependentLeftNov 12, 10:32 AM EST
  11. TownhallFar RightNov 12, 12:30 PM EST
  12. The Epoch TimesFar RightNov 12, 12:30 PM EST
  13. BloombergLeftNov 12, 1:40 PM EST
  14. Fox NewsFar RightNov 12, 1:59 PM EST
  15. PBS NewsHourCenterNov 12, 5:29 PM EST
  16. The New RepublicFar LeftNov 13, 9:47 AM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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