Todd Blanche’s bid to become the nation’s next attorney general just hit another major roadblock.
The New York City Bar Association is urging the Senate to reject President Donald Trump’s nominee, arguing that Blanche has already demonstrated he is “unfit to lead an ethical and independent Department of Justice.”
In a sharply worded letter sent Monday to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the influential legal organization warned that Blanche’s actions as acting attorney general have undermined confidence in the Justice Department’s independence.
“Mr. Blanche has taken actions that we believe make him unfit to lead an ethical and independent department of justice that is essential to our nation’s democracy,” the association wrote.
The group didn’t stop there.
“The Attorney General personifies for Americans our commitment to the rule of law and equal justice under the law,” the letter states. “Todd Blanche fails to meet this standard.”
Trump tapped Blanche to replace former Attorney General Pam Bondi after firing her in April. Blanche has served as acting attorney general ever since, but he must still win Senate confirmation to keep the job permanently. His confirmation hearings began Wednesday.
The Bar Association’s rebuke adds to a growing list of objections surrounding Blanche’s nomination.
Critics have accused him of politicizing the Justice Department and questioned his handling of records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an issue that has continued to dog the Trump administration.
Earlier this month, more than 1,200 former Justice Department employees signed a public letter urging senators to reject Blanche’s nomination. The former officials argued that his leadership has contributed to what they described as the “degradation of DOJ’s apolitical career workforce.”
Blanche has also come under fire from advocates representing survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse.
On Monday, the anti-human trafficking organization World Without Exploitation released a video featuring Epstein survivors urging the Senate to vote against Blanche’s confirmation.
The organization accused the Justice Department, under Blanche’s leadership, of exposing survivors’ personal information, including names, phone numbers, and home addresses, while continuing to keep the names of many alleged abusers and other powerful figures connected to Epstein hidden behind redactions.
With criticism now coming from former DOJ officials, survivor advocates, and one of the country’s largest bar associations, Blanche enters the Senate confirmation process facing mounting questions about whether he is the right person to lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency.
