Wyden: The Only Reason to Nominate Todd Blanche for Attorney General is to Abuse the Law, Illegally Protect Trump And Persecute Trump’s Critics

Wyden: The Only Reason to Nominate Todd Blanche for Attorney General is to Abuse the Law, Illegally Protect Trump And Persecute Trump's Critics

Without Reforms, FISA Section 702 Warrantless Spy Powers Will Be Abused By Pulte and Blanche to Target, Blackmail and Smear Trump's Enemies

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement in response to Donald Trump's announcement that he will nominate Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States.

Blanche served as Trump's personal attorney before joining the Department of Justice, ordered investigations of Trump's perceived enemies, greenlit the $1.8 billion slush fund for Trump's allies, handed Trump and his family immunity from future investigations for tax crimes, and played a key role in DOJ's ongoing violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

"The only reason Trump nominated Todd Blanche for Attorney General is to install another corrupt flunky who is willing to abuse federal law enforcement and intelligence powers for Trump's benefit," Wyden said. "Bill Pulte and Todd Blanche will have nearly unchecked power to spy on political opponents without a warrant under FISA Section 702, and use what they find for blackmail, political smears or trumped-up prosecutions. These abuses are not abstract or hypothetical: In Minneapolis and in communities across the country, this administration's lawlessness has turned into real harm that ruins Americans' lives. Any senator who doesn't insist on real surveillance reform now is rolling out the red carpet for unprecedented abuses."

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