Acting AG Blanche Hearing Reveals Contradictions on DOJ Independence
At his confirmation hearing for Associate Attorney General, Acting AG Todd Blanche—Trump's former criminal defense lawyer—offered evasive answers on recusal, pardons, and January 6, exposing the conflict of interest already embedded in DOJ leadership. The exchange highlights concerns over DOJ politicization, though links to Project 2025 are not established in the hearing.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former criminal defense lawyer, is now the second-highest official at DOJ—and at his confirmation hearing for Associate Attorney General, he refused to commit to recusing himself from cases involving his former client's co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira. The exchange with Senate Democrats exposed a fundamental breach: the line between personal loyalty and prosecutorial independence has been erased at the top of the Justice Department, and no congressional remedy appears forthcoming. Blanche also dismissed calls to release Special Counsel Jack Smith's final report and declined to rule out accepting a presidential pardon—each a direct acknowledgment that the person running DOJ may put his own interests ahead of the rule of law.
The humanitarian alternative
The Senate should have established an enforceable recusal wall before entertaining any vote. A binding resolution requiring a full outside ethics review—with public disclosure of any conflict related to the president's associates within DOJ—would at least create a procedural check. If recusal is not guaranteed, the position should be filled by a career non-political prosecutor who has never represented any of the parties in active DOJ investigations, preserving the institutional norm that the attorney general's loyalty is to the Constitution, not a client.
Falsifiable predictions
What this entry claims will happen, and what data would prove it wrong. The Reckoner revisits these against current reality.
- Blanche will not recuse himself from any matter involving Trump, Trump co-defendants, or January 6 prosecutions during his tenure.
- No bipartisan Senate action will result from this hearing to tighten confirmation standards or enforce recusal norms.
Original source — excerpted
news Acting AG Todd Blanche tangles with Dems over Trump, more in fiery confirmation hearing"See more of our coverage in your search results. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche sparred with Democrats on a range of issues during Blanche’s confirmati..."