Todd Blanche's Record as Acting Attorney General Disqualifies Him for Confirmation
Source: Ruth Marcus. "Why Todd Blanche Should Not Be Attorney General | The New Yorker." June 14, 2026. www.newyorker.com
The Gist
Ruth Marcus argues that Todd Blanche shouldn't become Attorney General because he's proven he'll do whatever Trump wants instead of following the law. She points to examples like filing court documents that sound like Trump tweets and going after Trump's enemies with bogus prosecutions.
Conclusion
Todd Blanche should not be confirmed as Attorney General because his actions in the acting role demonstrate he prioritizes Trump's personal interests over Justice Department independence and the rule of law
Premises
- Blanche filed a legal document written in Trump's voice and style rather than proper legal language, showing inappropriate subservience
- He pursued politically motivated prosecutions against Trump's perceived enemies, including James Comey and the Southern Poverty Law Center
- He created a $1.8 billion settlement that would have permanently barred IRS audits of the Trump family, potentially saving them $100 million
- He fired respected prosecutor Maurene Comey solely because of her last name connection to James Comey
- He publicly boasted about purging FBI agents who worked on Trump prosecutions, violating prosecutorial norms
- He inappropriately discussed ongoing grand jury investigations in a public podcast interview
- His actions have been so problematic that even conservative publications like National Review oppose his nomination
Assumptions
- Attorney General nominees should demonstrate independence from presidential political interests
- The Justice Department should operate according to established legal and ethical norms
- Past performance as acting Attorney General is predictive of future behavior
- Senate confirmation should be based on qualifications and adherence to rule of law rather than presidential preference
- Prosecutorial decisions should be based on legal merit rather than political loyalty