Attorney General Blanche appears to endorse GOP candidate in latest politicization of DOJ 

Less than a week after Senate Republicans confirmed him as U.S. attorney general, Todd Blanche spoke at a political rally and appeared to endorse a Republican candidate for New York governor — a move that further politicizes the country’s top law enforcement role. 

Blanche praised Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the GOP’s nominee challenging incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), while speaking at an event on Long Island that doubled as an effort by the Trump administration to highlight recent reductions in crime.

“We just heard from our great Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is doing everything we need him to do to back the blue, to support law enforcement, and to make this county a safe county we can all raise our kids in,” Blanche said while flanked by officers at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City.

The attorney general’s comments mark another break from the DOJ’s longstanding norms that the attorney general maintains strict neutrality and avoids partisan campaign endorsements or involvement in elections to preserve public trust in an impartial justice system.

The episode shows the degree to which President Donald Trump and Blanche have turned the Department of Justice (DOJ) — which traditionally tries to distance itself from partisanship — into the president’s personal law firm and an extension of his political agenda.

While he did not explicitly endorse Blakeman’s campaign, Blanche’s praise came during an overtly political rally meant to boost the county official’s chances this November. 

Emphasizing the political nature of the rally, Trump aggressively promoted Blakeman’s campaign in remarks at the event while also attacking New York Democratic officials, including Blakeman’s opponent.

“Kathy Hochul, who’s done such a poor job in New York,” the president said. “In fact, she has the congressional Democrats’ full support. Just think of it, every Democrat. Not the people. The people are going to vote for Bruce Blakeman.”

“He’s going to win. He’s going to win. I mean it,” Trump added.

In his own speech at the rally, Blakeman attacked both Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) for their criticism of a law enforcement agreement he entered into with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last year.

Speaking directly to Hochul, Blakeman at one point claimed that she wanted to “destroy” neighborhoods and communities by opposing the agreement.

“Kathy Hochul, where do you want those guns? What neighborhood do you want to destroy? What community do you want to destroy? Where do you want those illegal migrants to live? You want them back in New York? I don’t think so,” he said.

Friday’s rally marked the second time Blanche has participated in a norm-shattering political event. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference last year, Blanche downplayed fears over deploying federal agents to the polls this November.

“Why is there objection to sending ICE officers to polling places?” Blanche, then deputy attorney general, said during a stage interview. “Illegals can’t vote. It doesn’t make any sense.”