In an unusual show of force, over 1,200 former Justice Department employees have urged the Senate to reject Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general. In a letter released Tuesday, the group accused Blanche of undermining the department’s apolitical career workforce and prioritizing loyalty to President Trump over the rule of law.
The letter, organized by the alumni group Justice Connection, argues that Blanche has “demonized career employees” and fostered a culture of fear within the DOJ. It details a pattern of alleged abuses, including “vindictive prosecutions and investigations of the President’s foes,” deals that reward lawbreakers with taxpayer money, and the erasure of accountability for the January 6 Capitol attack. The former employees also criticized Blanche’s handling of the Epstein files and his repeated violations of court orders.
“In the coming weeks, many will rightly underscore the corruption and abuses that have defined the Justice Department under Todd Blanche’s leadership,” the letter states. “But we want to focus on an area that deserves just as much attention: Todd Blanche’s degradation of DOJ’s apolitical career workforce.”
The letter’s large number of signatories is notable; while such letters are common during nomination fights, gathering over 1,200 signatures signals significant opposition. Blanche is scheduled to appear before the Senate for his confirmation hearing next week. The pushback comes as the department has seen a dramatic exodus of career staff under the Trump administration, with about 16,000 of the DOJ’s more than 100,000 employees leaving. Some were fired, while others resigned rather than follow what they considered illegal or unethical orders.
Blanche, who initially served as deputy attorney general, was nominated for the top job after President Trump fired Pam Bondi. The letter contends that Blanche has played a key role in reshaping the department to align with Trump’s political priorities. It alleges that he fired or oversaw the firings of hundreds of career employees without proper notice and for improper reasons—including working on cases the president disliked, being relatives of the president’s opponents, or refusing to lie in court.
“These terminations violate the very civil service statutes designed to prevent corruption and political purges,” the letter asserts. The alumni group described the career workforce as the “backbone” of the department and urged the Senate to restore respect for apolitical professionals. As the Blanche nomination tests the rule of law, it faces bipartisan backlash.
The former employees called for an attorney general who would heed John Adams’ admonition that the republic remains a “government of laws, not of men,” rather than exhibiting fealty to the president. The letter’s release adds to mounting scrutiny of Blanche’s record, as senators weigh whether to confirm a nominee critics say has politicized the Justice Department.
