Norm Eisen: Todd Blanche Is Unfit to Serve as Attorney General
June 9, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Following is a statement from Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), co-founder and executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund, regarding Trump’s nomination of his former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, to serve as attorney general:
“In 2018, President Trump lamented ‘Where’s my Roy Cohn?’ It looks like Trump has finally found the answer — Todd Blanche. And that should alarm everyone.
“At every critical juncture, Todd Blanche has demonstrated a willingness to place his loyalty to Donald Trump above the independence and impartiality of the nation’s chief law enforcement office. Among the most troubling examples are his handling of matters related to the Epstein files, such as withholding and over-redacting millions of documents including three FBI interviews of an alleged victim who claimed sexual misconduct by Trump that were initially marked as ‘duplicates.’ Blanche has used the power of his office to attack Trump’s political enemies, from James Comey to the SPLC to E. Jean Carroll, asserting in his first press conference as acting attorney general that it is the president’s ‘right’ and ‘duty’ to investigate political opponents. And just a few weeks ago, Blanche agreed to establish a $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund to make payouts to Trump’s allies through collusive means. These are the actions of someone committed to a president over upholding the law.
You do not nominate your personal defense lawyer as attorney general because you want an independent Justice Department. You do it because you want someone you trust to put your interests first. The attorney general’s duty is to the Constitution, the law, and the American people — not to the president who appointed them. Todd Blanche is unfit to serve as attorney general.”
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Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.
