Former DOJ employees urge Senate to reject Todd Blanche AG nomination

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More than 1,200 former Justice Department employees, people who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations, are urging the Senate to reject Todd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general. The former officials say Blanche has created what they describe as a “culture of fear” inside the Justice Department, overseen politically motivated decisions, and weakened the department’s independence.

The letter was first reported by MeidasTouch’s chief Washington correspondent, Scott MacFarlane. Here’s a key section from the end of the letter.

“The consequences of Blanche’s attacks on DOJ’s apolitical workforce radiate beyond the halls of Main Justice, affecting the entire country. They’ve meant that much of the department’s vital work isn’t being done, or isn’t being done as well—leaving communities less safe, Americans’ rights less protected, and our national security more vulnerable. The culture of fear Blanche has instilled within DOJ’s workforce must end. Respect for career professionals must return.”

Look, every president has the right to nominate an attorney general who shares their policy priorities. Elections have consequences. If Americans vote for a president promising tougher immigration enforcement, different environmental policies, or a new approach to criminal justice, it’s reasonable to expect the Justice Department’s leadership to reflect those priorities.

But that’s completely different from expecting the nation’s top law enforcement officer to operate as the president’s personal lawyer.

Todd Blanche has literally served as Trump’s personal lawyer in 2023 and 2024, defending him against two federal indictments and the New York hush-money case. Since becoming acting attorney general, he has continued to act more like Trump’s personal lawyer than the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, pursuing what many legal experts have described as politically driven investigations, including the indictment of James Comey and reportedly opening a DOJ investigation into whether E. Jean Carroll lied during her civil litigation against Trump.

Blanche also helped orchestrate the proposed $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, which was quickly scrapped after bipartisan backlash and legal challenges from bipartisan critics who opposed compensating January 6 rioters and Trump loyalists.

He has also been accused of violating his pledge to recuse himself from matters involving conflicts of interest.

The reason this letter matters isn’t simply because former DOJ officials disagree with Blanche. The number is what stands out. More than 1,200 people, spanning multiple administrations and political backgrounds, felt compelled to publicly warn senators before a confirmation vote. That’s an extraordinary number of people sounding the alarm about the leadership of one of the country’s most important institutions.

The Justice Department occupies a unique place in American government. Unlike Cabinet agencies that openly carry out a president’s policy agenda, the DOJ has long operated under the expectation that prosecutorial decisions remain insulated from political influence.

If I were grading Blanche on his tenure so far, based on the allegations against him and the measurable changes inside the department, he would get an F. The Justice Department has reportedly lost roughly 21 percent of its lawyers through firings, buyouts and resignations. The American Bar Association has warned that top law graduates are increasingly unwilling to work there, and hiring standards have reportedly been lowered to fill vacancies.

We should all expect the Justice Department to be guided first by the law, not by loyalty to any one president. The Senate Judiciary Committee has one job: make the president find a more suitable candidate.

Lindsey Granger is a NewsNation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary.

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Attorney general

Department of Justice

E. Jean Carroll

James Comey

Todd Blanche

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