The New York City Bar Association has joined the growing chorus of opposition to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, issuing a letter Monday to the Senate Judiciary Committee that declares him unfit to lead the Department of Justice.
In a letter addressed to Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the association argued that Blanche's conduct undermines the integrity of the office. "Mr. Blanche has taken actions that we believe make him unfit to lead an ethical and independent department of justice that is essential to our nation's democracy," the letter states.
President Trump tapped Blanche to replace former Attorney General Pam Bondi after her dismissal in April. Blanche has served as acting attorney general since then, but his confirmation requires Senate approval. His confirmation hearings, spanning two days, kicked off Wednesday.
The association emphasized the symbolic weight of the role. "The Attorney General personifies for Americans our commitment to the rule of law and equal justice under the law," they wrote, adding bluntly: "Todd Blanche fails to meet this standard."
The opposition extends beyond legal circles. On July 7, more than 1,200 former DOJ employees urged senators to reject Blanche, citing what they called the "degradation of DOJ's apolitical career workforce" under his leadership. The pushback also includes survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
World Without Exploitation, an anti-human trafficking organization, posted a video Monday featuring Epstein survivors voicing their disapproval. The group accused Blanche's DOJ of exposing survivors' personal details—names, phone numbers, and addresses—while keeping redacted the identities of many alleged abusers and powerful figures tied to Epstein. "Under Blanche's leadership at the Department of Justice, Epstein survivors' personal information ... was exposed," the group wrote on Instagram.
The controversy comes amid other pressures on Blanche's nomination. Senator John Cornyn has withheld his support over a dispute related to an anti-weaponization fund, while Durbin has noted that Blanche himself admitted the fund was "a mistake." The nomination is also testing broader questions about the rule of law, with bipartisan backlash mounting.
Blanche's handling of the Epstein case has become a flashpoint. As the Senate grills him on the probe, survivors are actively lobbying to block his confirmation. The Senate grilling has focused on both the Epstein investigation and the defunct anti-weaponization fund.
The Bar Association's letter adds institutional weight to the opposition, signaling that Blanche's confirmation battle is far from settled. With hearings underway, the Senate faces a decision that could reshape the DOJ's direction for the remainder of the Trump administration.
