Attorney General Todd Blanche sparred with CNN host Dana Bash on Sunday as they discussed how the Justice Department would respond to Democratic threats to investigate the Trump administration.
After Democrats made gains in the midterm elections, several prominent members of the party threatened legal action against President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet. Representative Robert Garcia of California, who is expected to lead the House Oversight Committee, wrote “lawyer up” after the results and the announcement that Stephen Miller would become White House chief of staff.
Blanche defended Miller in a post on X, saying the Justice Department would represent him. Bash asked whether Blanche viewed it as his job to defend administration officials under congressional investigation.
Blanche said the Constitution and long-standing practice require the Justice Department to represent executive branch members who appear before Congress. He argued that there was nothing unusual about his statement and said Garcia should read the Constitution.
Bash noted that Congress has an oversight role and asked whether Blanche had concerns about that responsibility. Blanche said he welcomed oversight, but argued that some Democrats were threatening to target Cabinet members, pursue impeachments and investigate private companies. He said those threats went beyond oversight.
Asked whether he was saying Democrats would be investigated, Blanche replied that an investigation could be warranted, depending on what was said. He pointed to comments by Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan about discouraging young conservatives from pursuing government jobs.
Blanche said people have a right to criticize Trump and his administration, but argued that threats become unacceptable when people are warned they could face consequences for working in the government.
