Post B6Igo22ZQvT2vuyPCq by Nonilex@masto.ai
(DIR) More posts by Nonilex@masto.ai
(DIR) Post #B6Igo22ZQvT2vuyPCq by Nonilex@masto.ai
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Acting AG #ToddBlanche was told last year to recuse from #DOJ matters involving #TrumpIt was less than 2 weeks after Todd Blanche took on his role of deputy attorney general in March 2025 when the Justice Department’s top #ethics lawyer delivered some straightforward yet inconvenient news: His recusal from legal cases that involved Trump in his personal capacity was necessary.#law #LegalEthics #corruption https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/14/politics/todd-blanche-recusal-trump-investigations-brennan
(DIR) Post #B6Igo2KeLhvfpzQqO0 by Nonilex@masto.ai
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The official conducting the briefing, Joseph Tirrell, handed #ToddBlanche & his then-top deputy #EmilBove, who was also in the conference room, a printed PowerPoint presentation on #ethics, acc/to a former senior #DOJ ethics official who described the meeting.The meeting…is the first time Blanche was formally informed he would need to recuse himself from cases involving #Trump.#law #LegalEthics #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo2aFPiPEcMjIhM by Nonilex@masto.ai
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…Recusal, however, is a word that comes with treacherous consequences in the #Trump era — including in the case of former AG #JeffSessions who Trump tormented after he recused himself from overseeing what eventually became the #Mueller investigation. Blanche’s choice is either to oversee investigations Trump cares deeply about but risk damaging their viability in court or to recuse himself & risk incurring Trump’s wrath. [he will undoubtedly not recuse]#law #LegalEthics #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo2o4aJStJFCLFQ by Nonilex@masto.ai
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Now serving as acting attorney general, #ToddBlanche finds himself in an ethical quandary. His previous role representing #Trump in #criminal prosecutions brought by the #DOJ means that he is switching sides, overseeing the department’s investigation of the former government officials whom Trump claims unfairly used the criminal justice system to target him.#law #LegalEthics #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo34NbgVc7opMfI by Nonilex@masto.ai
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That includes some who were connected to the prosecutions of #Trump for mishandling #ClassifiedDocuments in Florida after his first term, & conspiring to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election. #ToddBlanche was Trump’s primary personal defense lawyer in both federal court cases, which were dismissed after he won reelection, but prior to being fully resolved in court.#law #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo3Uc29UbRB6JYO by Nonilex@masto.ai
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#ToddBlanche signed the #DOJ #ethics pledge laid out to him by Tirrell, acc/to the former ethics official & a document submitted to the Office of Government Ethics. That pledge included requirements for Blanche to not participate for at least a year in any of the department’s matters involving past clients of the Blanche Law Group, the small private law firm Blanche used to represent #Trump in the #criminal cases.#law #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo3lyzZO4J3EBd2 by Nonilex@masto.ai
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The #DOJ’s regulations also prohibit his participation “in any criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship” with anyone who was involved in or has an interest in that investigation or prosecution. [so #Trump obvi]A DOJ spox claimed that #ToddBlanche is complying with ethical obligations.#law #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo40A8qjJ11rVjM by Nonilex@masto.ai
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“He is recused from many cases before DOJ. In any cases that are still ongoing where he previously represented someone, he is recused,” the spox said.The DOJ didn’t specify which cases #ToddBlanche is recused from, but this was the first time they’ve publicly acknowledged that he has recused from some investigations.#law #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption #Trump
(DIR) Post #B6Igo4FPEAvHmIzgUS by Nonilex@masto.ai
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The potential conflict is more acute now that #ToddBlanche has installed #JoediGenova, a fmr US attorney for DC, to reinvigorate an investigation into what #diGenova has outlined as a broad “conspiracy” against #Trump spanning from the 2017 #Russia #ElectionInterference probe to the aborted Special Counsel Jack Smith prosecutions that ended in 2024.DiGenova is based in Fort Pierce, FL, a federal court with few major criminal cases aside from Trump’s.#law #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo4V0IBOqYgI8no by Nonilex@masto.ai
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Among those targeted for possible prosecution is #JohnBrennan, the fmr #CIA director—a top priority for #Trump in his efforts to prosecute his political foes. Brennan denies wrongdoing. Last week, a spox told CNN #ToddBlanche had not recused from the Brennan investigation.Inside the #DOJ, Blanche has delegated oversight of the so-called conspiracy investigation to top aides, & has not participated in meetings on the probe in recent months, acc/to people briefed.#law #LegalEthics #Trump
(DIR) Post #B6Igo4kFNVapJxQJYu by Nonilex@masto.ai
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…the #Trump admin has gutted both the DOJ’s career #ethics staff & its office of professional responsibility, & not replaced well-respected advisers for #DOJ headquarters who had over the years advised on some of the thorniest questions for leaders.Tirrell, the ethics official who had briefed #ToddBlanche on recusal, was fired in July. He has since sued the Justice Department seeking compensation.#law #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption #Trump
(DIR) Post #B6Igo4y4Y6eU0ptM6y by Nonilex@masto.ai
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So too were career employees within the #DOJ who worked in the Office of Professional Responsibility, including the director of a unit tasked with making sure DOJ attorneys didn’t cross ethical lines that could endanger their #law licenses, several sources familiar say.#LegalEthics #criminal #corruption #Trump
(DIR) Post #B6Igo5BBlL8yfW1pYW by Nonilex@masto.ai
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2 weeks after the firing of Tirrell, #ToddBlanche took the unusual step of interviewing #convicted #SexTrafficker #GhislaineMaxwell, fmr partner of the late Jeffrey #Epstein, while she serves time in prison. In that interview, Blanche asked Maxwell about her interactions with #Trump many years before he became president, & she claimed Trump had done no wrong.#law #DOJ #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption
(DIR) Post #B6Igo5RUmiBhU5eqyO by Nonilex@masto.ai
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#Ethics challenges continue to arise for #ToddBlanche & others in the administration, especially as their press conferences often highlight how federal law enforcement is carrying out Trump’s wishes, & even #retribution.In his first press conference as acting attorney general, Blanche notably remarked, “I love you, sir,” to #Trump.#law #DOJ #LegalEthics #criminal #corruption