We need an Attorney General who is loyal to the Constitution – not to President Trump. Todd Blanche is not that person. And that’s why we voted NO on his nomination to serve as Attorney General.
The Attorney General (AG) is one of the most important positions in our government. Not only does the Attorney General serve as a trusted member of the president’s Cabinet, but he or she also leads the Department of Justice – the agency responsible for enforcing our laws impartially.
That’s a difficult job in any administration. Under this president – who values obedience above all else – it may very well be impossible.
During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Blanche was asked about his relationship with President Trump. He responded, “I’m his lawyer,” before quickly correcting himself to say he previously was his lawyer.
That wasn’t a slip. It was a tell.
Mr. Blanche will not be an impartial check on the president.
And here’s another tell.
For months, Mr. Blanche has insisted the Department of Justice slush fund is dead. Yet as recently as this weekend, President Trump was saying the exact opposite. He defended the fund.
So when Mr. Blanche says the slush fund isn’t moving forward, don’t believe him. Not for one second.
His word is worth about as much as the Trump Meme Coin.
During reconciliation, we introduced an amendment to permanently end the Department of Justice slush fund. Despite bipartisan support, it ultimately failed. That means taxpayers could still be on the hook for people who attacked our democracy.
At a time when working families are struggling with rising costs, the last people the federal government should subsidize are those who assault our elections. People like election criminal Tina Peters, who tried to undermine Colorado’s free and fair elections. People like the January 6 rioters, who stormed this very chamber in an attempt to tear apart our democracy.
The DOJ slush fund isn’t dead. It’s dormant.
Until Congress permanently closes this avenue through legislation, we shouldn’t rely on assurances alone. The Department of Justice released a letter promising to end the slush fund. But that isn’t law. It isn’t binding. And it isn’t enough.
To be clear, we don’t believe Mr. Blanche will break all of his promises.
When he says behind closed doors that he wants the Dobbs v. Jackson decision to become, in his words, “permanent in every state,” we should believe him. Whether it’s abortion access or access to the ballot box, we should have little confidence that he will not target Colorado—or other blue states—because that’s exactly what his boss wants.
We cannot allow a fox to guard the henhouse. This Saturday, Republicans did just that.
We need to keep pushing to stop the administration’s lawlessness and restore the public’s trust in the Department of Justice.
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