US Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the Republican Party's midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday night, drawing criticism from former Justice Department officials who said the appearance broke with longstanding norms against political activity by the nation's top law enforcement officer.
The appearance appears to be a first for a sitting attorney general in the modern era.
Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who spent Trump's years out of office as his personal defense lawyer, has never pretended to keep the Justice Department at arm's length from the president. Asked by NBC's Kristen Welker after his Senate confirmation whether he would pledge independence, Blanche did not hedge. "I'm not going to pledge that," he said.
Comey prosecution runs into trouble
Blanche's convention speech comes as the signature prosecution of his tenure stalls in court. Former FBI Director James Comey's criminal case has not moved forward, with his lawyers arguing that his "86 47" social media post was protected political speech rather than a genuine threat against Trump, and that the administration pursued him selectively and vindictively. The judge has not yet ruled on the dismissal motions, and no court has found that Blanche acted improperly.
Blanche announced a second indictment against Comey in late April, weeks after then-Attorney General Pam Bondi's firing vaulted him into the acting attorney general's job, where he began delivering aggressively on Trump's priorities. The Senate confirmed him to the post in August, and he is now finishing his first full month as attorney general outright.
Former officials call the speech inappropriate
The convention booking drew fire from former Justice Department officials before Blanche even took the stage. Justice Connection, a group of former federal prosecutors and ex-Justice Department officials, said in a statement that Blanche's "job is to enforce the law, not turn the Justice Department into a political prop at the first-ever RNC Midterm Convention." The group added on social media that "the Hatch Act exists for a reason," a reference to the federal law restricting political activity by government employees.
Eric Holder, who served as attorney general under President Barack Obama, was blunter. "Attorneys general don't talk about political things," Holder said on NewsNation. "He shouldn't be there."
The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment on the speech or the criticism.
In his remarks to the convention, Blanche praised President Trump's record of deportations during his second term. "Americans, thank you for choosing to make our country safe again. We are just getting started," Blanche said.
Blanche spoke in what the Justice Department has described as his "personal capacity," but Holder called the appearance "unprecedented" and "disgraceful."
What's next at the convention
The Republican Party's midterm convention in Dallas runs two nights through Thursday, with President Trump set to headline both evenings. Vice President JD Vance, who is expected to announce his 2028 campaign shortly after the midterms, spoke at the convention on Wednesday night.
