A federal judge on Friday blocked an effort to force the quick release of Department of Justice records concerning Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche just days before his Senate confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by the nonpartisan watchdog group American Oversight. The group had sued to expedite Freedom of Information Act requests detailing Blanche’s official work on two highly scrutinized matters: the federal review of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the agency’s handling of a report by former Special Counsel Jack Smith.
The court’s decision arrives as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to vet Blanche for the nation’s top law enforcement post on July 15 and 16. American Oversight argued that fast-tracking the records was vital so that both lawmakers and the public could fully review Blanche’s record before a permanent confirmation vote took place.
Following the ruling, Chioma Chukwu, the executive director of American Oversight, issued a statement criticizing the decision.
“Today’s decision is a loss for transparency,” Chukwu said. “The Justice Department is sitting on records that could shed light on how Todd Blanche exercised extraordinary authority entrusted to him, depriving the American people of the opportunity to evaluate the factual record and engage meaningfully with their elected representatives as the Senate considers his nomination.”
Chukwu added that a Senate confirmation is a “one-time constitutional responsibility” that cannot be recreated once the vote concludes. “Americans still deserve answers about Blanche’s role in matters involving Jeffrey Epstein and Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report, and we will continue pursuing these records so the public can understand how one of the nation’s most powerful law enforcement officials exercised his authority,” she said.
Before moving into his current roles as deputy attorney general and acting attorney general, Blanche served as former President Donald Trump’s lead criminal defense attorney. In that capacity, he represented Trump in multiple federal prosecutions brought by Special Counsel Smith, as well as the New York state case that resulted in Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts.
While serving as deputy attorney general, Blanche reportedly managed the department’s internal review of Epstein-related files and conducted a personal interview with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. Because Trump’s name reportedly appears thousands of times within those files, outside critics have questioned whether Blanche’s past legal representation creates a conflict of interest.
Blanche has also drawn scrutiny over his management of files related to Special Counsel Smith’s investigations. Public reports indicate Blanche spoke of helping to “clean house” at the DOJ and FBI by removing personnel connected to the Smith inquiries. Furthermore, during his 2025 confirmation hearings for the deputy attorney general position, Blanche testified that he would oppose releasing the full second volume of Smith’s report on Trump’s handling of classified documents. Shortly before that confirmation, the DOJ officially backed a motion by Trump to block the report’s public release.
The records sought by American Oversight include emails, calendar logs, text messages, and encrypted communications regarding Blanche’s role in the Epstein files review—specifically focusing on redactions, communications about Trump, and Maxwell’s movement through the federal prison system. The requests also cover communications regarding the classified documents probe and decisions surrounding the public release of Smith’s final report.
American Oversight previously demanded that Blanche recuse himself from any oversight regarding presidential records from Trump’s first term, pointing to his ongoing legal duty of loyalty to his former client.
This marks the second time during the current presidential term that an attorney general nomination has triggered intense document battles. In November 2024, American Oversight launched similar record requests regarding then-nominee Matt Gaetz following allegations of misconduct. Gaetz subsequently withdrew his name from consideration.
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