More than 1,200 former Department of Justice (DOJ) officials asked the U.S. Senate to reject Todd Blanche's nomination to permanently serve as attorney general, arguing that his interim tenure has eroded the institution's independence and created a climate of fear among career employees.

The petition was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee by the organization Justice Connection and gathers the signatures of former lawyers, prosecutors and senior officials who served during 14 presidential administrations, both Republican and Democratic. In the letter they maintain that Blanche has privileged political loyalty to President Donald Trump over impartial compliance with the law.

The signatories claim that, since Blanche took over as deputy attorney general in 2025 and later as acting head of the Department of Justice after the departure of Pam Bondi, thousands of workers have left the agency due to layoffs, internal pressures or disagreements with administration decisions.

The whistleblowers maintain that this exodus is not a coincidence, but the result of unjustified dismissals and unethical pressures aimed at clearing the offices of those elements considered not loyal to President Donald Trump.

A warning about the future of the Department of Justice

In the document, the former officials claim that more than 16,000 employees left the Justice Department under Blanche's leadership, including more than a quarter of career lawyers. According to the letter, several were fired without notice for having participated in investigations related to the president or for refusing to carry out orders that they considered improper or contrary to professional ethics.

Former employees maintain that the loss of experienced personnel directly impacts the Department's ability to investigate federal crimes, protect civil rights and ensure national security.

“The culture of fear that Todd Blanche has established must end,” said the signatories, who recalled the phrase attributed to former President John Adams that the United States must continue to be “a government of laws and not of men.”

Blanche's confirmation hearing is scheduled for July 15 and 16 before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which must evaluate whether or not to recommend her final appointment.

The White House defends the nomination

The Trump administration rejected the allegations and fully supported Blanche. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated that the official has done an “excellent job” at the head of the Department of Justice and has the confidence of the president.

Jackson assured that Blanche has defended the rule of law and described the prosecutor as an “American patriot” who faced what he described as a campaign of judicial persecution against Trump during the criminal proceedings that the now president carried out before returning to the White House.

Before joining the government, Blanche was Trump's defense attorney in three criminal trials, including the irregular payments trial in New York.

However, his management has also been the subject of controversy due to investigations directed against former officials considered political adversaries of the president, the handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and the proposal to create a fund of 1.8 billion dollars to combat the so-called “political instrumentalization” of the judicial system, an initiative whose implementation was suspended after receiving criticism from legislators of both parties.

In addition to the letter promoted by Justice Connection, other organizations such as Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), as well as more than a hundred former judges, have also asked the Senate to more rigorously examine Blanche's performance before deciding on her confirmation, considering that the leadership of the Department of Justice must preserve its independence from political power and maintain public confidence in the American judicial system.

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