Bill Barr says Todd Blanche isn't 'a toady,' urges senate to confirm Trump's AG pick
Former Attorney General Bill Barr is calling on Senate Republicans to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, arguing the former Trump defense lawyer's close relationship with the president should be viewed as a strength — not a conflict of interest.
In a Wall Street Journal opinion column, Barr, who served as attorney general under the first Trump administration, said Blanche should be confirmed, calling him well-qualified and saying he "will run the department as effectively as anyone could under President Trump, providing much-needed leadership and stability."
Barr's appeal comes as Blanche faces a potentially difficult confirmation process in the Senate. Republicans hold a 53-seat majority, but several GOP senators have not committed to supporting the nomination.
A large part of Barr's argument centered on countering criticism that Blanche's past as President Donald Trump's personal defense attorney makes him too conflicted to lead the Justice Department.
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"Critics say that Mr. Blanche, having served as the president's personal defense lawyer, won't confront the president with hard truths. Exactly the opposite is true," Barr wrote.
"A successful criminal-defense lawyer like Mr. Blanche isn't a toady who sugarcoats the truth to his client," Barr continued. "The job demands regularly confronting strong-willed clients with harsh reality. This necessarily involves clashes, but the lawyer's dogged willingness to anchor his client to reality is what builds trust and makes the relationship effective."
Barr wrote that Blanche's established relationship with Trump should be viewed as an advantage rather than a liability.
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"The president takes hard advice best from those whom he recognizes have his best interests at heart," Barr wrote. "Having helped the president through the crucible of his legal battles, Mr. Blanche is likely in the best position of anyone in the country to deliver strong counsel to the president and have him accept it. Senators should view a trusting relationship as a positive, not a negative."
Barr further dismissed claims that Blanche would simply carry out Trump's wishes without independent judgment.
"The left has portrayed Mr. Blanche as a man who will docilely carry out the president's desires," Barr wrote. "But Mr. Blanche doesn't shy away from giving the president straight-from-the-shoulder advice and, where warranted, pushing back on bad ideas. He doesn't always prevail, but, frankly, no one has a better chance of getting through to Mr. Trump."
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Since stepping into the role as acting attorney general following Pam Bondi's departure, Blanche has been heavily scrutinized for leading prosecutions against some of Trump's biggest foes, including the newest indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. He's also faced pushback over the Justice Department's aborted effort to create an Anti-Weaponization Fund.
The controversies have contributed to uncertainty over Blanche's confirmation, with several Republican senators publicly acknowledging reservations about his nomination.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has said he remains undecided and has tied his support in part to concerns surrounding the scuttled fund.
"It'll be an issue if the weaponization fund isn't effectively dead by the confirmation hearing," Tillis said.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, another Judiciary Committee member, has likewise withheld his support, saying he wants additional information before making a decision.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Cornyn said he plans to wait until after receiving a full briefing and hearing Blanche's testimony before deciding whether to support the nomination.
Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Blanche's nomination are scheduled for mid-July as Republicans weigh whether to advance Trump's nominee to the full Senate.
Barr served as attorney general under both President George H.W. Bush and President Trump. While he was a key figure in Trump's administration and defended many of the president's policies, he later became one of Trump's most prominent critics over his claims of widespread voter fraud following the 2020 election.