'If Democrats want me': Todd Blanche makes an offer amid rally criticism

WASHINGTON, DC: Attorney General Todd Blanche invited Democrats to call him for political rallies while defending his appearances at such events as lawful.

Blanche said the law allows the attorney general to act in an individual capacity and that an ethics official reviews his activities.

He made the remarks on Wednesday, September 30, alongside the Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, during the Justice Department’s press conference in Washington focused on election integrity and Minnesota cases.

Todd Blanche says Democrats can call him for a rally

Blanche was asked whether appearing at political rallies blurred the line between his role as attorney general and his criticism of federal judges. 

He rejected that characterization and said his activities outside the department are reviewed before he participates.

“If Democrats want me to come and speak at their rally, they can just give me a call,” Blanche said, adding that he would deliver the same message at either party’s event.

Blanche said he discusses what he described as the administration’s accomplishments and law-enforcement priorities when he speaks publicly.

He said he would tell Democrats or Republicans that the administration is “fighting to make America safe again” and “going back to the basics of law enforcement.”

The reporter pressed Blanche on whether the public can separate his personal activities from his position as attorney general. 

Blanche acknowledged that people see him as the attorney general wherever he goes, but said that does not change what federal law permits.

AG Blanche says his political activity is reviewed

Blanche said the law permits the attorney general and other Cabinet officials to act “in our individual capacities.” 

He said his activities are reviewed and approved by an ethics official with 16 years of experience in the area.

“I am allowed to go and support administrative priorities in my personal capacity,” Blanche said.

The exchange came after a reporter pointed to Blanche’s appearances at political rallies and asked whether he was applying a different standard to federal judges. 

Blanche said he had reviewed the conduct underlying judges’ public comments and strongly disagreed with their statements about Justice Department prosecutors.

He also rejected the suggestion that his own public activity should be judged by what previous attorneys general did. 

“I’m not judged by what they have done and what I’ve done,” Blanche said.

Todd Blanche announces Minnesota indictments

The rally exchange followed Blanche’s announcement that a federal grand jury had indicted 10 foreign nationals over alleged unlawful voting and registration offenses in Minnesota.

Blanche said the indictments includes nine counts of illegal voting by an alien and nine counts of making a false claim of citizenship to register to vote. 

He said the charges involve elections in 2022, 2024, and August 2026, and defendants from Brazil, Ghana and Liberia.

Blanche also announced that the Justice Department had filed a judicial misconduct complaint with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals against all but one district court judge in Minnesota. 

He said the department believes judges violated judicial canons by speaking to The New York Times about immigration enforcement and cases that were pending or in the appellate process.

The judges’ comments, Blanche said, included criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of court orders and immigration enforcement. 

He asked the Eighth Circuit to investigate and requested that the judges recuse themselves from cases involving the Department of Homeland Security.