Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution , yesterday pressed Acting Attorney General (AG) Todd Blanche for materials regarding the ethical advice he has received while at the Department of Justice (DOJ) surrounding his personal legal representation of President Trump. The letter comes after Senator Welch grilled Blanche, President Trump’s pick to serve as Attorney General, in his nomination hearing about his role in negotiating a settlement between President Trump—his former legal client—and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on behalf of American taxpayers. That settlement also established a so-called “anti-weaponization” slush fund for the president and his Administration. Between 2023 and 2024, Acting AG Blanche represented President Trump in multiple criminal cases and served as counsel to the president in various other civil investigations and cases. A political action committee associated with President Trump—Save America PAC—paid Acting AG Blanche’s firm over $9 million for the legal representation he provided the president in those cases. In his letter to Acting AG Blanche , Senator Welch underscored that DOJ attorneys are bound by strict conflict of interest requirements to prevent bias and ensure the fair administration of justice: “You confirmed in written questions for the record to me that you did receive an ethics briefing once you were sworn in as Deputy Attorney General. According to public reporting, Joseph Tirrell—the Department’s then-top ethics official—conducted this briefing. You were reportedly advised to recuse yourself from legal cases involving President Trump in his personal capacity. Mr. Tirrell was subsequently fired on July 11, 2025, after nearly two decades with the Department. During your confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 15, 2026, I asked you about the ethics advice you received from DOJ ethics officials regarding your pre-existing client relationship with President Trump. I sought confirmation as to whether your ethical obligations are based on advice given to you by Mr. Tirrell, as well as the standard ethics training. You responded in the affirmative. You also testified that you follow all of the ‘very technical rules around the ethics requirements[.]’” Senator Welch continued: “The ethics advice you have received is particularly relevant as the Senate considers your nomination for Attorney General given your approval of the settlement between President Trump and the Internal Revenue Service that created the ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ and waived all past tax liabilities for the President, his family, and businesses. It is important to understand whether you were directly advised—as public reporting suggests—to recuse yourself from matters involving the President in his personal capacity prior to approving the creation of this fund and waiving the President’s civil and criminal tax liabilities.” Senator Welch concluded by requesting materials from Acting AG Blanche no later than July 29 , 2026 , given the Senate’s active consideration of Mr. Blanche ’ s nomination to serve as AG permanently: “I request that you promptly provide my office with copies of any documents or communications containing advice from DOJ ethics officials detailing your ethical obligations involving President Trump. This includes copies of any materials from the ethics briefing you received upon confirmation and any communications or documents you received prior to the creation of the previously mentioned fund and waiver. As you know, you may waive any attorney-client privileges related to the ethics guidance you received, if the requested documents implicate such a privilege.” Read and download the Senator’s full letter to Acting AG Blanche. Senator Welch has called on Acting AG Blanche to resign and expressed strong opposition to Acting AG Blanche’s nomination to serve in the role permanently. In May, Senator Welch led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in demanding that the DOJ Inspector General (IG) launch an immediate, thorough, and quick investigation into President Trump’s creation of the nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” emphasizing how President Trump’s slush fund, created from a settlement agreement in Trump v. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), represents waste, fraud, and abuse of an unprecedented magnitude and must be subjected to independent scrutiny. Last year, Senator Welch led Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee in requesting documents from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to determine the veracity of U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his nomination hearing in February 2025. Mr. Blanche testified at the hearing and in subsequent written answers to Members’ questions that he had no knowledge of the decision to dismiss the criminal charges against then-New York City Mayor Eric Adams, an assertion that has been contradicted by unsealed court documents—including a letter from then-Interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon to Attorney General Bondi—suggesting he was aware of the decision. The Senator subsequently led every Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat in calling on Inspector General Michael Horowitz to investigate the truthfulness of Mr. Blanche’s testimony at his confirmation hearing. ###