Phillip Harris, of Central Islip, was found guilty of first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person and other charges.

Turning the tide

Text SIGN PYOOEM to 50409 — I am writing to urge you to fully investigate the White House’s reported interference in a federal law enforcement matter involving Andrew and Tristan Tate, who face sex-trafficking allegations in multiple countries, and to ensure any officials who abused their position face real consequences. This story broke on the same day the House overwhelmingly passed a bill to release the Epstein files. That timing makes the reported White House intervention even more troubling. While the public demands transparency on past failures to hold powerful abusers accountable, it appears that senior administration figures may have been working behind the scenes to benefit another politically connected individual accused of sexual exploitation. According to multiple DHS officials and contemporaneous communications, White House liaison Paul Ingrassia contacted senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security and conveyed that the request to return the Tates’ seized electronic devices came directly “from the White House.” The devices had been seized legally after Andrew Tate refused to provide his password — a routine action at a U.S. port of entry. DHS officials described the request as “brazen,” “offensive,” and potentially compromising to an active federal investigation. This would be concerning under any circumstances. What makes it worse is that Ingrassia previously worked on the legal team representing the Tate brothers before joining the administration. Even the appearance that a White House official used official authority to benefit former clients — especially individuals under active investigation for serious crimes — is a direct challenge to ethical standards and to the independence of federal law enforcement. There is also a broader pattern that cannot be ignored. The administration has repeatedly shown a willingness to assist allies facing legal or reputational trouble while attacking opponents. Whether or not the President personally directed this action, individuals around him have routinely attempted to leverage their positions to protect politically useful figures. The Tates have a large online following among young men — a demographic that political operatives see as strategically valuable — and that context only heightens concerns about favoritism and improper influence. Meanwhile, investigations of the Tates continue in the United Kingdom, Romania, and potentially U.S. jurisdictions. No presidential pardon could shield them from foreign or state-level charges. That reality makes any federal interference even more dangerous: it risks undermining our credibility abroad and weakening protections for victims of trafficking. I strongly support the inquiries launched by Senators Blumenthal and Peters, and I urge you to go further. Please: • Support a full congressional investigation into whether White House personnel directed, approved, or condoned this interference. • Ensure that the DHS Inspector General conducts a thorough review with public findings. • Establish accountability measures for any officials who abused their authority or pressured law enforcement. • Reinforce guardrails preventing White House intervention in individual criminal matters, especially when former clients or political allies are involved. The rule of law requires independence, impartiality, and consequences for those who undermine it. Please act swiftly to protect the integrity of federal law enforcement. Thank you for your attention.