Todd Blanche Confirmed As Trump’s Personal Attorney General
Todd Blanche took the oath as attorney general Monday, completing the Justice Department’s transition from an independent federal agency into President Donald Trump’s taxpayer-funded personal law firm. Blanche, who represented Trump in three criminal cases, won Senate confirmation after Republicans determined that defending one client against the government is ideal preparation for running the government’s prosecutions. His elevation also resolved the department’s longstanding conflict-of-interest problem by eliminating the possibility that Trump’s interests could ever conflict with the department’s.
President Trump praised Blanche’s constitutional expertise, citing his years of experience translating personal inconvenience into executive privilege. “Todd was my lawyer, so he knows the Constitution better than anybody, especially the parts saying a president can do whatever he wants and still be treated very unfairly,” Trump said. Blanche quickly demonstrated the department’s renewed independence by endorsing a legal theory extending executive privilege to conversations with private advisers, business associates, golf partners, campaign donors, dinner guests and anyone standing close enough to hear the president discuss government business. Officials said the policy would preserve candid advice by ensuring that every presidential acquaintance can become a confidential constitutional officer without the burden of confirmation, disclosure or public employment.
Democrats objected that appointing Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer created at least the appearance of divided loyalties. Senate Republicans rejected the criticism, explaining that loyalty cannot be divided when it is concentrated entirely in one person. They also applauded Blanche for replacing the department’s antiquated blind-justice model with a customer-service system in which allies receive privilege, opponents receive subpoenas and the president receives unlimited representation at the public rate of zero dollars. Under the reform, prosecutors will no longer waste time asking whether conduct is legal before determining who committed it, and departmental independence will be measured by how independently staff anticipate Trump’s wishes before he states them. Justice remains blind, officials confirmed, but it now recognizes its only client by voice.
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