In a move that has raised significant political attention, the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, former defense lawyer for President Donald Trump, as the new Deputy Attorney General on Wednesday. The Senate voted 52-46, with all Democrats opposing his nomination.
Blanche, a prominent criminal defense attorney, will now take on the role of Deputy Attorney General, the second-highest position at the U.S. Department of Justice. In this capacity, he will oversee all 93 U.S. Attorneys across the country, as well as key law enforcement agencies including the FBI, DEA, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Blanche’s confirmation ends the tenure of his former law partner, Emil Bove, who has served as Acting Deputy Attorney General in the interim. Bove has been central in managing politically sensitive matters, such as overseeing the firing of top FBI officials and prosecutors, as well as handling criminal cases involving the January 6 Capitol riot and investigations into Trump’s actions.
One of the most controversial actions under Bove’s leadership was his dismissal of criminal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a decision that led to the resignation of eight prosecutors in Washington and New York City.
As Blanche steps into his new role, Bove will continue to work closely with him as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, continuing his involvement in overseeing sensitive and high-profile cases.
Upon her first day in office, Attorney General Pam Bondi tasked the Deputy Attorney General’s office with launching a “weaponization working group” to examine ongoing criminal cases against Trump, including the charges related to classified documents, election interference, and his conviction in New York for falsifying records to conceal hush-money payments.
During his confirmation hearing, Blanche avoided questions regarding his potential recusal from reviewing cases he had previously been directly involved with as Trump’s defense attorney, further intensifying scrutiny around his confirmation.
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