Blanche Leaves DOJ Election Certification Intervention on the Table

WHO:

Democracy Docket - Blanche said the DOJ was considering lawsuits targeting “a number of states.”

Alternet - Todd Blanche said he would not pledge to act independently of the White House, stating, “No, I’m not going to pledge that. And no attorney general should make that pledge.”

Fox News - Attorney General Todd Blanche discussed the Department of Justice’s potential role in election certification.

NBC News - Attorney General Todd Blanche discussed possible post-election action by the Justice Department.

WHAT:

Democracy Docket - Blanche said the DOJ was considering additional California-style lawsuits, telling reporters, “There’s a number of states that we’re looking at.”

Democracy Docket - Blanche said the DOJ would not rule out intervening in state election certification under any circumstances, but said improper interference was not the department’s intention.

Alternet - In an example cited by California’s secretary of state, federal officials initially identified nearly 16,000 potential noncitizens on Nevada’s voter rolls, but later failed to establish that even one was a noncitizen.

Democracy Docket - The DOJ appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Thursday before U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ruled on its request for a temporary restraining order in the California voter-ballot case.

Democracy Docket - Federal law enforcement arrested 11 people on the DOJ’s alleged noncitizen voter list and charged 28 people with illegally registering to vote.

Alternet - Blanche became acting attorney general after Trump fired Pam Bondi, then secured James Comey’s re-indictment before his own confirmation.

Alternet - A grand jury refused to indict Letitia James again after the Justice Department tried a second time.

Alternet - Blanche participated with senior White House staff in a Situation Room meeting to develop strategies concerning the Epstein files.

Alternet - The Justice Department searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home 22 days before an election in which she was on the ballot.

Alternet - The article reported that federal judges had criticized the Justice Department and questioned its attorneys’ credibility.

Truthout - Seven in 10 Americans do not believe President Trump will accept the midterm results.

Alternet - Blanche was confirmed as attorney general by a 50-49 Senate vote.

Alternet - Blanche said the Justice Department had removed more than 200 career prosecutors and FBI agents who had “anything to do with prosecuting Trump.”

Alternet - Blanche’s Justice Department sued California over voter rolls and sought to use a federal database to purge 20,000 voters.

Alternet - Alternet reported that 26 federal courts had rejected the Justice Department’s position in lawsuits seeking state voter rolls.

Fox News - Blanche refused to rule out DOJ intervention in midterm election certification in a hypothetical “doomsday” scenario.

NBC News - Blanche left open the possibility that the Justice Department could seek to block states from certifying votes.

WHERE:

Democracy Docket - Blanche made the comments at a press gaggle in Virginia; the DOJ’s California lawsuit targets Los Angeles County and the state.

Alternet - Judge Kathleen Williams referred Blanche to the New York bar over his testimony and the legality of a Trump-IRS immunity agreement he signed.

WHY:

Alternet - Doug Heye said Republicans had “signed up for” a politicized DOJ by confirming Blanche; he warned that Trump was laying out a case to “muddy these waters” if chaos followed in Alaska.

Alternet - Tara Setmayer said Trump allies had been studying ways to manipulate and stress-test the election system since January 6, and warned that the administration was laying groundwork to interfere in the midterms.

Alternet - Blanche said, “common sense” showed mail-in voting posed a greater fraud risk than in-person voting with identification.

Fox News - Blanche’s comments addressed hypothetical “doomsday” scenarios.

HOW:

Democracy Docket - The DOJ sent California and Los Angeles County elections officials a thumb drive listing 20,000 alleged noncitizens, then sued after officials refused its demand to set those voters’ ballots aside pending citizenship checks.

Alternet - Blanche signed a document granting Trump and his family immunity from IRS investigations in exchange for settling Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS.

NBC News - The possible action described was for the Justice Department to seek to block states from certifying votes.

(UPDATED October 24, 2026 02:08 UTC)

Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Justice Department is considering lawsuits against several states and would not rule out intervening in election certification, though he said improper interference is not the department’s intention. He made the comments during a press gaggle in Virginia, describing possible action in a hypothetical worst-case scenario. The department has sued California and Los Angeles County, seeking access to voter rolls and sending officials a thumb drive listing 20,000 alleged noncitizens. After officials refused to set aside those voters’ ballots, the DOJ appealed before a judge ruled on its request for a temporary restraining order. Federal authorities have arrested 11 people from the list and charged 28 with illegally registering to vote. Blanche also declined to promise independence from the White House, and said the department had removed more than 200 prosecutors and FBI agents involved in Trump-related cases.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 23:12 UTC)

Attorney General Todd Blanche has left open the possibility that the Justice Department could intervene in election certification, including seeking to block states from certifying votes in a hypothetical crisis. He also said he would not promise to act independently of the White House. In California, the department sued over voter rolls, seeking to set aside ballots from 20,000 people it identified as possible noncitizens. After officials rejected that demand, the DOJ appealed before a judge ruled on its request for an emergency order. Federal authorities arrested 11 people on the department’s list and charged 28 with illegally registering to vote. Blanche, confirmed by a 50-to-49 Senate vote, said the DOJ had removed more than 200 prosecutors and FBI agents connected to Trump investigations.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 20:07 UTC)

Attorney General Todd Blanche has left open the possibility that the Justice Department could seek to block states from certifying election results in a hypothetical crisis. He also refused to promise independence from the White House, saying no attorney general should make that pledge. Blanche took over as acting attorney general after President Trump fired Pam Bondi, and was later confirmed by a 50-to-49 Senate vote. His department has removed more than 200 prosecutors and FBI agents who had worked on cases involving Trump, and pursued lawsuits over state voter rolls. Twenty-six federal courts have rejected its position in those cases. Blanche also took part in a White House meeting on the Epstein files and signed an agreement granting Trump and his family immunity from IRS investigations. A judge referred him to the New York bar over his testimony and the agreement.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 13:21 UTC)

Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to pledge independence from the White House, saying no attorney general should make such a promise. He also left open the possibility that the Justice Department could seek to block states from certifying votes, in a hypothetical “doomsday” scenario involving the midterm elections. Blanche was confirmed in a 50-to-49 Senate vote. He said the department had removed more than 200 career prosecutors and FBI agents who had “anything to do with prosecuting Trump.” His department has sued California over its voter rolls and sought to use a federal database to remove 20,000 voters. Twenty-six federal courts have rejected the department’s position in lawsuits seeking state voter rolls. Separately, Judge Kathleen Williams referred Blanche to the New York bar over his testimony and a document granting Trump and his family immunity from IRS investigations in exchange for settling Trump’s lawsuit against the agency.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 06:04 UTC)

Attorney General Todd Blanche has left open the possibility that the Justice Department could intervene in the certification of votes after the midterm elections. In comments about a hypothetical “doomsday” scenario, Blanche refused to rule out federal action. That could include the department seeking to block states from certifying election results. His remarks addressed a worst-case situation, rather than announcing a specific legal move. Blanche did not rule out the possibility of intervention if such circumstances arose. The comments put the Justice Department’s potential role in election certification in focus. Any action described would involve trying to prevent states from completing the certification of votes. The scenario remains hypothetical, and Blanche’s comments did not specify what conditions would prompt the department to act.