politics
Todd Blanche declines to pledge independence from White House
US attorney general says no one in his role ‘should ever’ make this vow amid concern over Trump steering DoJ
TL;DR
- US Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge that the Justice Department would always act independently of the White House and Donald Trump.
- Blanche stated that no attorney general should ever make such a pledge and claimed Trump would never ask him to do anything unethical or illegal.
- A law professor criticized Blanche's position as an "appalling departure" from the Justice Department's mission, calling it "Trump’s private law firm."
- Blanche was narrowly confirmed by the Senate and previously served as Trump's criminal defense lawyer.
- He defended Trump's pardons of Capitol attack supporters, stating it was the president's right.
- Blanche affirmed the Justice Department would continue "election integrity" efforts despite numerous court defeats.