The Justice Department’s deputy attorney general on Wednesday rejected a journalist’s report claiming Maryland’s top federal prosecutor told leadership that a potential case against Senator Adam Schiff lacked sufficient strength to pursue.
MSNBC correspondent Ken Dilanian reported Thursday that U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to discuss the Schiff investigation and expressed doubt about the case’s viability. Schiff, a California Democrat, faces scrutiny over mortgage filing allegations in Maryland.
The Denial
Blanche quickly refuted Dilanian’s account on social media. “Breaking: @DilanianMSNBC reports on a recent meeting that never happened,” Blanche wrote, adding that he was “unequivocally” denying Hayes made any such statement to him.
Dilanian had reported that Hayes told Blanche she did not believe the case against Schiff was strong or winnable. The journalist later cited Schiff’s attorney, former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara, who claimed career prosecutors found the allegations “baseless” and “unsupported by any evidence.”
The Investigation
Schiff is under investigation for allegedly listing both his California and Maryland properties as his primary residence on mortgage and election documents in 2024. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte sent a letter to officials outlining allegations that Schiff falsified documents to obtain more favorable loan terms.
According to reports, Fannie Mae financial crimes investigators concluded in July that Schiff engaged in “a sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation” involving five loans. Hayes, a veteran Justice Department prosecutor, is also overseeing a separate case against former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Digital Desk contributed to this report.
