Attorney General Blanche blurs Justice Department boundaries by appearing at political events
Attorney General Todd Blanche is blurring traditional boundaries between politics and federal law enforcement with recent speeches at political events that mark a sharp departure from norms meant to protect the Justice Department from the appearance of partisan bias.
Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press
Blanche took the stage this week at an event for a Republican Senate candidate in North Carolina days after speaking at a GOP midterm convention, where he praised Trump and touted the administration's tough-on-crime approach.
Blanche's participation at the rallies has drawn scrutiny from critics who say it threatens to undermine public faith in law enforcement decisions that are supposed to be made free of political interference. It has added to critics' concerns about Blanche's loyalty to Trump and White House influence on Justice Department matters against the backdrop of investigations into numerous perceived foes of the president.
"It lends credence to the arguments that the Justice Department is hopelessly politicized," said Richard Painter, who was a White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration. "And that's not where we want to be right now."
Attorneys general have typically stayed away from political rallies and at arm's length from the White House to prevent the appearance of law enforcement interference in elections and to protect the perception of impartiality in prosecutions.
