Attorney General Todd Blanche Refuses Pledge of Justice Department Independence

Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge that the Justice Department would always act independently of the White House.

When asked by a journalist, Blanche stated, "No, I'm not going to pledge that. And no attorney general should ever pledge that." He justified his stance by saying that if President Trump asked the Department of Justice to pursue violent criminals, pledging independence would mean saying "No, sir, I'm not going to do it." Critics argue that pledging independence does not mean acting in opposition to the president.

Blanche's refusal to even mouth the expected platitude is seen as a "Trumpian way" of shattering rules in broad daylight. Blanche made his first appearance since his confirmation on "Meet the Press." He assured the country that Trump had never asked him to do anything unethical or illegal. On Tuesday, Blanche finalized a rule and launched a new process allowing certain people barred from firearm ownership to apply for relief from that prohibition.

He stated, "The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and the federal government should not permanently deprive Americans of a constitutional right without regard to whether they pose a danger to public safety." U.S. Pardon Attorney Edward Martin said roughly 30 million Americans have lost their gun rights. The Justice Department's new process will allow eligible individuals to apply for restoration, though approval will not be automatic.

Some groups, including undocumented immigrants, violent felons, and registered sex offenders, will remain presumptively ineligible for relief. Blanche was appointed by Donald Trump and previously served as his criminal defense attorney.