FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Twenty-three state attorneys general have endorsed Todd Blanche’s confirmation as U.S. attorney general, according to a letter obtained by the Daily Signal. 

“At a time when Americans expect their government to protect communities from violent crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, and organized criminal activity, Todd Blanche has shown an ability to deliver real results,” the letter says. “His record reflects a commitment to public safety, vigorous enforcement of federal law, and effective stewardship of the Department of Justice.” 

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading the coalition, which includes attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

“Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has shown incredible leadership over the last three months at the helm of the United States Department of Justice,” Knudsen said. “In a short time, he has proven that he is dedicated to working collaboratively with state attorneys general in our mission to uphold the rule of law, crack down on fraud, and get violent criminals off our streets. I look forward to continuing my partnership with his agency to keep Montana and our country safe and urge the Senate to confirm him as the 88th United States Attorney General.”

President Donald Trump, earlier this month, officially nominated Blanche to succeed Pam Bondi as attorney general, and the Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled his confirmation hearings for mid-July. Blanche has been serving as acting attorney general following Bondi’s ouster in April.

The attorneys general dismissed criticisms of Blanche, saying, “Critics have no serious objection to his qualifications, character, or leadership. What they really oppose is President Trump’s agenda.” 

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“And because Mr. Blanche has been so successful at implementing those policies, they would prefer he not be at the helm,” the letter says. “We, thus, urge the Committee to disregard these hollow complaints.” 

The chief state law enforcement officers highlighted Blanche’s work to end waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars, saying it is of “vital importance” to their states.

“Under his leadership, we are confident that the Department will continue to prioritize safeguarding taxpayer dollars, streamline bureaucratic inefficiencies, and aggressively prosecute the exploitation of federal programs,” the letter says.

The coalition praised Blanche for his work as deputy attorney general and acting attorney general. 

“Notably, the nation has experienced its lowest murder rate since 1900,” the letter says, “while federal law enforcement efforts have intensified against violent criminals, gangs, cartels, terrorists, and transnational criminal organizations.” 

They also cited his efforts to improve border security and immigration enforcement. 

“The Department has secured favorable court rulings supporting immigration enforcement initiatives, reduced the immigration case backlog by hundreds of thousands of cases, and worked closely with federal partners to apprehend criminal aliens and transnational gang members who threaten public safety,” the coalition wrote. 

Blanche has taken “decisive action to end discrimination on the basis of race, life-altering gender reassignment surgeries on minors, and the weaponization of our justice system,” the attorneys general wrote. 

The coalition said Blanche should be swiftly confirmed, adding that the state attorneys general forward to working with Blanche to “uphold the Constitution, protect our communities, and ensure equal justice under the law.”