A federal judge on Friday blocked an effort to force the quick release of Department of Justice records concerning Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche just days before his Senate confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin.
Background
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by the nonpartisan watchdog group American Oversight. The group had sued to expedite Freedom of Information Act requests detailing Blanche’s official work on two highly scrutinized matters: the federal review of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the agency’s handling of a report by former Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Following the ruling, Chioma Chukwu, the executive director of American Oversight, issued a statement criticizing the decision. “Today’s decision is a loss for transparency,” Chukwu said. “The Justice Department is sitting on records that could shed light on how Todd Blanche exercised extraordinary authority entrusted to him, depriving the American people of the opportunity to evaluate the factual record and engage meaningfully with their elected representatives as the Senate considers his nomination.”
Before moving into his current roles as deputy attorney general and acting attorney general, Blanche served as former President Donald Trump’s lead criminal defense attorney. In that capacity, he represented Trump in multiple federal prosecutions brought by Special Counsel Smith, as well as the New York state case that resulted in Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts.
Records Sought
The records sought by American Oversight include emails, calendar logs, text messages, and encrypted communications regarding Blanche’s role in the Epstein files review—specifically focusing on redactions, communications about Trump, and Maxwell’s movement through the federal prison system. The requests also cover communications regarding the classified documents probe and decisions surrounding the public release of Smith’s final report.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
