The power to investigate, prosecute and imprison people is among the most serious powers our government holds. Donald Trump wants to hand that power to Todd Blanche, his former criminal defense lawyer. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch appear ready to help him.
Blanche’s handling of the Epstein files should be disqualifying. Under Attorney General Pam Bondi, Blanche oversaw the department’s release of the records. Survivors’ names and private details were exposed, while other records remained heavily redacted. Blanche later acknowledged that the department had made redaction errors.
New Mexico is now suing Blanche and the Justice Department because they refuse to release records connected to alleged crimes at Epstein’s ranch. State investigators say they need unredacted material to identify survivors, witnesses and possible co-conspirators. New Mexico says repeated requests have failed to produce the information needed for an active investigation.
Blanche also waited months to meet with survivors. He did so only after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis made the meeting a condition of his support. Survivors described Blanche as dismissive and continue to urge the Senate to reject his nomination.
Blanche showed his loyalty to the Trump-Epstein class again when he signed off on using public money to benefit Trump and his allies.
Trump sued the IRS for a preposterous $10 billion. Blanche signed a settlement proposing a $1.8 billion fund for people who claimed the government targeted them, including Trump allies. The agreement also protected Trump, his sons and the Trump Organization from certain past tax audits.
Blanche moved to terminate the fund only after Republican senators threatened his confirmation. Crapo and Risch made no similar public demand. The audit protections remained, shielding Trump from accountability for tax fraud. Trump also suggested the fund could return.
The attorney general also controls the government lawyers who defend the president in court. Under Trump, the Justice Department has defended tariffs imposed without Congress, freezes on grants already awarded by lawmakers and other attempts to expand presidential power. Idaho taxpayers are already funding legal fights over policies that raise costs for farmers and businesses and threaten money promised to our communities. Blanche would deepen that abuse of power.
We have never put a president’s personal criminal defense lawyer in charge of federal law enforcement. Blanche would oversee the FBI, federal prosecutors and the department that decides who gets investigated, prosecuted, protected or ignored.
More than 1,200 former Justice Department employees from Republican and Democratic administrations have urged the Senate to reject him. Idaho’s former U.S. attorney, Betty Richardson, is among them.
Yet no one expects Crapo or Risch to seriously consider voting no. They have chosen Trump over Idaho through tariffs, healthcare cuts and unchecked war powers. If they confirm Blanche, every abuse that follows will carry their names too.
Onward,
Lauren Necochea
Idaho Democratic Party Chair