Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has ordered a senior U.S. Justice Department official to drop an inquiry into a retired FBI agent’s involvement in a defamation lawsuit involving Alex Jones’ conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

A senior U.S. Justice Department official has sent a letter to a lawyer for relatives of victims killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, asking pointed questions about a retired FBI agent’s involvement in a defamation lawsuit against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his appeal of the $1.4 billion judgment a Connecticut jury and judge issued against him for calling the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting a hoax.

The trustee overseeing Alex Jones’ personal bankruptcy case is accusing the far-right conspiracy theorist of trying to shield more than $5 million from his creditors.

Lawyers in the Alex Jones bankruptcy case are now in discussions on what could happen next after a federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet.

The lower court judge barred Jones from filing a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, as a penalty for his actions. The families said they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones’ followers because of the hoax conspiracy. Jones' former lawyer, Norman Pattis, who argued the case before the state Supreme Court, has said the pornography was in emails sent to Jones that were never opened. “I hope Mr. Jones seeks U.S. Supreme Court review.”An email message seeking comment was sent to Jones and Infowars on Thursday. Sandy Hook families sued Jones and others in several states for defamation related to the hoax conspiracy.