Democratic attorney Marc Elias recently raised alarms about Acting Attorney General Todd Branch, labeling him a “dangerous” risk to democracy.
At a press conference, Blanche criticized reporters, emphasizing what she sees as inconsistent media treatment regarding political prosecutions. She highlighted that the press remained silent while Democrats were pursuing inquiries into President Donald Trump, his family, and his administration. This comes after President Trump nominated Acting Attorney General Blanche, noting that Attorney General Pam Bondi would be moving to a significant new role in the private sector.
Elias, who has been involved in various legal challenges on behalf of Democratic interests, told Simone Sanders Townsend on MS NOW’s “The Weeknight” that Branch poses a threat because he “sounds completely rational.”
“These are career prosecutors,” Elias pointed out, adding that the officials Branch criticized were frontline prosecutors tasked with executing directives from their superiors. Many were simply attorneys managing evidence and reviewing documents.
In 2025, the administration dismissed several Justice Department officials tied to the investigation into Trump, which was led by special counsel Jack Smith during Biden’s term. Smith managed to secure indictments regarding Trump’s handling of classified materials and attempts to contest the results of the 2020 election; however, those cases were dropped after Trump’s success in the 2024 election.
Elias, linked to the controversy surrounding the now-discredited Steele dossier during his tenure at Perkins Coie, expressed deep concern over the state of democracy under Branch’s leadership, especially with Trump yet to announce Bondi’s successor.
“This is a very, very, very dangerous day for our democracy here,” Elias argued. He previously attempted to challenge two narrow Republican wins for House seats following the 2020 elections. “It’s not only about reckless individuals managing foreign policy. We’re witnessing dictatorial behavior from those surrounded by flunkies wielding the power of government against their political adversaries. We should anticipate even more of this leading up to the election.”
The Steele dossier played a crucial role in justifying the FBI’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged interference with Russia during the 2016 election, including the surveillance of campaign official Carter Page.
This investigation led to the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel. He ultimately found no evidence that Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia.
On May 15, 2023, Special Counsel John Durham published a report detailing the FBI’s investigation into the 2016 campaign’s supposed collusion with Russia, concluding that the FBI “did not and could not corroborate” claims made in the now-discredited dossier.
In July, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard documented what she described as a “multiyear coup” against Trump after he defeated Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
