President Donald Trump’s effort to install his former personal attorney as the nation’s top law enforcement officer just hit a major roadblock.
More than 1,200 former Justice Department officials are urging the Senate to reject acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to permanently lead the Justice Department, arguing that his tenure has undermined the department’s independence and damaged morale among career employees.
The group, which includes former prosecutors, attorneys, and other Justice Department veterans, sent a letter urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general permanently, accusing him of undermining the independence of the Justice Department and turning it into a political arm of the White House.
The extraordinary rebuke comes just months after Blanche took over the department following the firing of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was pushed out in April after her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files became a political disaster and reportedly failed to satisfy Trump.
Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal defense attorney in several high-profile criminal cases, including the New York hush-money trial, quickly emerged as one of the president’s most loyal allies inside the Justice Department.
Critics say he has spent his time carrying out Trump’s political agenda rather than protecting the department’s long-standing independence.
Now, more than 1,200 former DOJ attorneys, prosecutors, and career officials are warning the Senate not to reward that loyalty with a permanent appointment.
In a letter obtained by Politico, the group urged Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and the committee’s top Democrat to reject Blanche’s nomination before his July 15 confirmation hearing.
The former officials argued that Blanche has created what they described as a “culture of fear” inside the Justice Department while eroding the role of career employees who traditionally operate independent of partisan politics.
“The culture of fear Blanche has instilled within DOJ’s workforce must end,” the letter states.
“Respect for career professionals must return. Would-be job applicants need to believe the Justice Department lives up to the virtue in its name. And instead of exhibiting fealty to the president, the Attorney General must heed John Adams’ admonition that our republic remains a ‘government of laws, not of men.'”
The signers also accused Blanche of overseeing what they described as corruption and abuses of power while reshaping the department in Trump’s image.
The growing backlash comes as Blanche is also facing legal setbacks.
Just this week, a federal judge rejected his effort to dismiss a lawsuit over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files, allowing the case to move forward.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled Monday that journalist Katie Phang’s lawsuit challenging the DOJ’s withholding of Epstein-related records could proceed.
The judge had previously found that Blanche violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation requiring the department to release records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
At issue are heavily redacted emails and other records that the Justice Department has continued to withhold.
Sullivan ordered the department to disclose the identities of certain email senders and recipients and to turn over FBI interview notes involving a woman who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her as a minor after allegedly being introduced to him by Epstein. Trump has denied the allegation.
Blanche has defended the department’s handling of the records, arguing the remaining redactions are lawful and insisting the DOJ has already released everything required under the law.
The judge wasn’t convinced.
According to Sullivan, Blanche’s legal team focused largely on arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction instead of fully defending the department’s decision to withhold the records.
Since replacing Bondi, Blanche has become one of Trump’s most reliable defenders inside the Justice Department, overseeing the administration’s response to the Epstein controversy while also advancing investigations involving Trump’s political opponents and championing several of the president’s most controversial legal initiatives.
Now, with his confirmation hearing just days away, he’s facing not only scrutiny from senators—but an extraordinary public revolt from more than 1,200 people who once served in the very department he’s hoping to lead.
Whether Senate Republicans listen is another question entirely.
