‘I’m Gonna Call BS on That’: Nicolle Wallace Rips GOP for Whitewashing Trump Stooge Todd Blanche’s Actions

Wallace When the history ░░░░░░░░ the Trump era is ░░░░░░░░ what happened to Todd ░░░░░░░░ will be in the ░░░░░░░░ questions at the end ░░░░░░░░ the weaponized Department of ░░░░░░░░ chapter There is no ░░░░░░░░ campaign against Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ perceived political enemies who ░░░░░░░░ the way aren t ░░░░░░░░ at all but merely ░░░░░░░░ servants doing their jobs ░░░░░░░░ every instance without Todd ░░░░░░░░ s zeal for carrying ░░░░░░░░ that retribution campaign Brand ░░░░░░░░ reporting in The New ░░░░░░░░ Times based on newly ░░░░░░░░ emails from a Freedom ░░░░░░░░ Information Act request revealed ░░░░░░░░ how much Todd Blanche ░░░░░░░░ controlled and caused turmoil ░░░░░░░░ the Department of Justice ░░░░░░░░ his mission to fulfill ░░░░░░░░ s wish of punishing ░░░░░░░░ those perceived enemies According ░░░░░░░░ the Times what led ░░░░░░░░ Blanche putting himself in ░░░░░░░░ driver s seat of ░░░░░░░░ DoJ s retribution efforts ░░░░░░░░ may was this He ░░░░░░░░ handed a migraine in ░░░░░░░░ Detective Columbo trenchcoat by ░░░░░░░░ name of Edward R ░░░░░░░░ Jr Martin a right ░░░░░░░░ lawyer who championed the ░░░░░░░░ of the January 6th ░░░░░░░░ had just been forced ░░░░░░░░ as the acting U ░░░░░░░░ attorney for the District ░░░░░░░░ Columbia the White House ░░░░░░░░ installed Ed Martin as ░░░░░░░░ head of the weaponization ░░░░░░░░ group Martin put on ░░░░░░░░ less than a show ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump like when ░░░░░░░░ showed up at the ░░░░░░░░ home of New York ░░░░░░░░ Attorney General Tish James ░░░░░░░░ that Detective Columbo trenchcoat ░░░░░░░░ he tried to cook ░░░░░░░░ a mortgage fraud case ░░░░░░░░ her The New York ░░░░░░░░ reports that Todd Blanche ░░░░░░░░ t believe that Martin ░░░░░░░░ provocateur with minimal prosecutorial ░░░░░░░░ had the chops and ░░░░░░░░ how to do the ░░░░░░░░ That s according to ░░░░░░░░ and former officials who ░░░░░░░░ anonymously Notably Blanche doesn ░░░░░░░░ fire him though No ░░░░░░░░ hands him the keys ░░░░░░░░ the car and then ░░░░░░░░ his driving by scheduling ░░░░░░░░ check in meeting every ░░░░░░░░ according to this trove ░░░░░░░░ internal Justice Department emails ░░░░░░░░ emails also reveal that ░░░░░░░░ Blanche created an organizational ░░░░░░░░ for the weaponization working ░░░░░░░░ that assigned key investigative ░░░░░░░░ to some of his ░░░░░░░░ deputies That ensured among ░░░░░░░░ things that he had ░░░░░░░░ control over one of ░░░░░░░░ most sensitive issues on ░░░░░░░░ plate demands from Trump ░░░░░░░░ his supporters to identify ░░░░░░░░ and punish those who ░░░░░░░░ once pursued them Since ░░░░░░░░ control within DoJ here ░░░░░░░░ what Todd Blanche has ░░░░░░░░ and managed all of ░░░░░░░░ he should have to ░░░░░░░░ for in his confirmation ░░░░░░░░ tomorrow Failed retribution cases ░░░░░░░░ New York Attorney General ░░░░░░░░ James and former FBI ░░░░░░░░ Jim Comey a renewed ░░░░░░░░ to target Jim Comey ░░░░░░░░ a picture of seashells ░░░░░░░░ spell out the numbers ░░░░░░░░ 47 The purging of ░░░░░░░░ of career Justice Department ░░░░░░░░ who worked on cases ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump the mishandling ░░░░░░░░ the Epstein files which ░░░░░░░░ ll dive into in ░░░░░░░░ in the next hour ░░░░░░░░ subpoenas served to Minnesota ░░░░░░░░ amid the Trump Administration ░░░░░░░░ immigration occupation which were ░░░░░░░░ quashed by a judge ░░░░░░░░ the attempted investigation into ░░░░░░░░ widow of Renee Nicole ░░░░░░░░ who was killed by ░░░░░░░░ agents in Minnesota Now ░░░░░░░░ there is one bright ░░░░░░░░ in the wake of ░░░░░░░░ of this as former ░░░░░░░░ counsel Jack Smith told ░░░░░░░░ earlier this month it ░░░░░░░░ those within the Department ░░░░░░░░ Justice who have resisted ░░░░░░░░ Blanche and his efforts ░░░░░░░░ starts Smith We ve ░░░░░░░░ so many times in ░░░░░░░░ retribution cases where prosecutors ░░░░░░░░ t be a part ░░░░░░░░ it Prosecutors in Minnesota ░░░░░░░░ were like I m ░░░░░░░░ going to investigate the ░░░░░░░░ member of a shooting ░░░░░░░░ I m not doing ░░░░░░░░ Prosecutors who wouldn t ░░░░░░░░ through with retribution prosecutions ░░░░░░░░ those people give up ░░░░░░░░ lot This is their ░░░░░░░░ career A lot of ░░░░░░░░ you know this isn ░░░░░░░░ a lucrative sort of ░░░░░░░░ for a lawyer in ░░░░░░░░ of what you could ░░░░░░░░ in private practice They ░░░░░░░░ to support their families ░░░░░░░░ one thing I have ░░░░░░░░ about is I think ░░░░░░░░ traditions in the Department ░░░░░░░░ people that are so ░░░░░░░░ that we re going ░░░░░░░░ have to rehabilitate the ░░░░░░░░ for sure But there ░░░░░░░░ a lot of people ░░░░░░░░ there still in place ░░░░░░░░ to do the right ░░░░░░░░ wanting to follow the ░░░░░░░░ and the law not ░░░░░░░░ a part of any ░░░░░░░░ campaign Clip ends Wallace ░░░░░░░░ Blanche s role in ░░░░░░░░ perversion of justice is ░░░░░░░░ we start today with ░░░░░░░░ of our favorite reporters ░░░░░░░░ friends The journalist byline ░░░░░░░░ that piece New York ░░░░░░░░ Justice Department reporter Glenn ░░░░░░░░ is here Plus former ░░░░░░░░ DoJ official and general ░░░░░░░░ for the FBI our ░░░░░░░░ analyst Andrew Weissmann is ░░░░░░░░ with us Also joining ░░░░░░░░ former assistant special agent ░░░░░░░░ charge at the FBI ░░░░░░░░ security and intelligence analyst ░░░░░░░░ Feinberg is here Glenn ░░░░░░░░ first tell me how ░░░░░░░░ got migraine wrapped in ░░░░░░░░ Detective Columbo trenchcoat into ░░░░░░░░ pages of The New ░░░░░░░░ Times I squealed with ░░░░░░░░ when I read those ░░░░░░░░ THRUSH Well it was ░░░░░░░░ think my editors must ░░░░░░░░ been on vacation and ░░░░░░░░ got lucky It s ░░░░░░░░ you know it s ░░░░░░░░ that final shot at ░░░░░░░░ end of the first ░░░░░░░░ Wars when you know ░░░░░░░░ missile gets to the ░░░░░░░░ of the Death Star ░░░░░░░░ So Wallace It s ░░░░░░░░ THRUSH I want to ░░░░░░░░ the prayer hands emojis ░░░░░░░░ my bosses on that ░░░░░░░░ But you know I ░░░░░░░░ it illustrates essentially the ░░░░░░░░ the catalytic event that ░░░░░░░░ prompted Todd Blanche to ░░░░░░░░ control of this so ░░░░░░░░ anti weaponization working group ░░░░░░░░ the Justice Department It ░░░░░░░░ t necessarily Blanche s ░░░░░░░░ belief in any one ░░░░░░░░ these principles Right He ░░░░░░░░ broadly motivated by a ░░░░░░░░ to execute Trump s ░░░░░░░░ It s not like ░░░░░░░░ Blanche doesn t think ░░░░░░░░ t agree with Donald ░░░░░░░░ that the Justice Department ░░░░░░░░ been mobilized against him ░░░░░░░░ some of his supporters ░░░░░░░░ s Blanche has a ░░░░░░░░ sense of wanting to ░░░░░░░░ it I think what ░░░░░░░░ emails and it s ░░░░░░░░ pages and it was ░░░░░░░░ to me from by ░░░░░░░░ Oversight a watchdog group ░░░░░░░░ they really show here ░░░░░░░░ Blanche really trying to ░░░░░░░░ control inside the Department ░░░░░░░░ because he has so ░░░░░░░░ control outside of it ░░░░░░░░ And Ed Martin was ░░░░░░░░ really against Blanche s ░░░░░░░░ because he had flopped ░░░░░░░░ the U S attorney ░░░░░░░░ the District of Columbia ░░░░░░░░ had no prosecutorial experience ░░░░░░░░ Martin he was doing ░░░░░░░░ this crazy performative stuff ░░░░░░░░ really Blanche needed a ░░░░░░░░ to neutralize Martin because ░░░░░░░░ couldn t have this ░░░░░░░░ the anti weaponization group ░░░░░░░░ the hands of somebody ░░░░░░░░ couldn t control Now ░░░░░░░░ is interesting is this ░░░░░░░░ this group this task ░░░░░░░░ we had all anticipated ░░░░░░░░ this would be the ░░░░░░░░ conduit for this vengeance ░░░░░░░░ by Trump It has ░░░░░░░░ out largely through the ░░░░░░░░ of Todd Blanche not ░░░░░░░░ have played that role ░░░░░░░░ Blanche has kind of ░░░░░░░░ with these issues Blanche ░░░░░░░░ before him Pam Bondi ░░░░░░░░ we should remember that ░░░░░░░░ before he was acting ░░░░░░░░ general was deputy attorney ░░░░░░░░ really running the day ░░░░░░░░ day operations of the ░░░░░░░░ And Bondi while an ░░░░░░░░ player was never really ░░░░░░░░ clued in to President ░░░░░░░░ as Blanche was for ░░░░░░░░ 19 months of this ░░░░░░░░ So Blanche has essentially ░░░░░░░░ to manage Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ demands in a way ░░░░░░░░ allowed him to assert ░░░░░░░░ level of control over ░░░░░░░░ And I think the ░░░░░░░░ that Blanche has been ░░░░░░░░ more suggested than explicit ░░░░░░░░ Democrats and Republicans on ░░░░░░░░ Senate Judiciary Committee is ░░░░░░░░ have stopped a lot ░░░░░░░░ bad things from happening ░░░░░░░░ know I ve had ░░░░░░░░ agree to a bunch ░░░░░░░░ prosecutions including the Comey ░░░░░░░░ prosecution But the suggestion ░░░░░░░░ at least the belief ░░░░░░░░ Republicans on the committee ░░░░░░░░ that Blanche is the ░░░░░░░░ unpalatable option available to ░░░░░░░░ as a permanent attorney ░░░░░░░░ Wallace So I m ░░░░░░░░ to Michael Feinberg I ░░░░░░░░ going to call BS ░░░░░░░░ that and show you ░░░░░░░░ Blanche bragging to right ░░░░░░░░ activist Matt Schlapp about ░░░░░░░░ DoJ purge because I ░░░░░░░░ Glenn Thrush is correct ░░░░░░░░ s going to present ░░░░░░░░ tomorrow as the least ░░░░░░░░ option But I D ░░░░░░░░ Matt Gaetz over this ░░░░░░░░ Watch Clip starts BLANCHE ░░░░░░░░ is not a single ░░░░░░░░ or woman at the ░░░░░░░░ of Justice who had ░░░░░░░░ to do with those ░░░░░░░░ Over SCHLAPP How many ░░░░░░░░ many have been canned ░░░░░░░░ Over 200 Over 200 ░░░░░░░░ left before we came ░░░░░░░░ because they knew it ░░░░░░░░ coming or were fired ░░░░░░░░ took early retirement They ░░░░░░░░ no longer employed by ░░░░░░░░ department applause And and ░░░░░░░░ it comes to the ░░░░░░░░ which takes a lot ░░░░░░░░ criticism especially because of ░░░░░░░░ happened over the past ░░░░░░░░ years Director Patel has ░░░░░░░░ house there too There ░░░░░░░░ t a single man ░░░░░░░░ woman with a gun ░░░░░░░░ agent still in that ░░░░░░░░ that had anything to ░░░░░░░░ with the prosecution of ░░░░░░░░ Trump Clip ends Wallace ░░░░░░░░ Michael Feinberg thanks to ░░░░░░░░ Thrush s great reporting ░░░░░░░░ some of the things ░░░░░░░░ ve shared since you ░░░░░░░░ I mean they re ░░░░░░░░ for the purging of ░░░░░░░░ Giardina a longtime FBI ░░░░░░░░ who was fired as ░░░░░░░░ wife lay dying of ░░░░░░░░ Brian Driscoll someone with ░░░░░░░░ of experience in counterterrorism ░░░░░░░░ real national security asset ░░░░░░░░ the United States government ░░░░░░░░ Democratic and Republican presidents ░░░░░░░░ re applauding the purging ░░░░░░░░ agents who had no ░░░░░░░░ on which cases they ░░░░░░░░ on but they got ░░░░░░░░ in the Trump cases ░░░░░░░░ Merrick Garland and Lisa ░░░░░░░░ appointed a special counsel ░░░░░░░░ they needed agents and ░░░░░░░░ needed prosecutors So that ░░░░░░░░ what those people are ░░░░░░░░ for And those were ░░░░░░░░ applause lines that Todd ░░░░░░░░ fed them I D ░░░░░░░░ Matt Gaetz seven days ░░░░░░░░ week over that guy ░░░░░░░░ Look choosing between Matt ░░░░░░░░ and Todd Blanche as ░░░░░░░░ boss or as a ░░░░░░░░ leader is sort of ░░░░░░░░ flipping a coin between ░░░░░░░░ administered poison and the ░░░░░░░░ inflicted gunshot wound I ░░░░░░░░ t wish any of ░░░░░░░░ upon my friends and ░░░░░░░░ wouldn t wish either ░░░░░░░░ them upon my country ░░░░░░░░ the mere fact that ░░░░░░░░ Blanche was willing to ░░░░░░░░ to his partisan and ░░░░░░░░ an exercise as CPAC ░░░░░░░░ brag about firing people ░░░░░░░░ doing their jobs that ░░░░░░░░ had been assigned because ░░░░░░░░ are absolutely correct FBI ░░░░░░░░ do not pick the ░░░░░░░░ on which they work ░░░░░░░░ the time they re ░░░░░░░░ at their desk when ░░░░░░░░ supervisor walks by looking ░░░░░░░░ anybody to throw at ░░░░░░░░ problem So to ruin ░░░░░░░░ lives because they followed ░░░░░░░░ chain of command is ░░░░░░░░ just malicious It goes ░░░░░░░░ this administration s very ░░░░░░░░ on that chain of ░░░░░░░░ As Kash Patel himself ░░░░░░░░ repeatedly stated the chain ░░░░░░░░ command is part of ░░░░░░░░ makes the FBI But ░░░░░░░░ also want to note ░░░░░░░░ and I m not ░░░░░░░░ to you know throw ░░░░░░░░ on the fire Todd ░░░░░░░░ is wrong There s ░░░░░░░░ quite a few people ░░░░░░░░ worked on all those ░░░░░░░░ still at DoJ and ░░░░░░░░ at FBI These people ░░░░░░░░ t even carry out ░░░░░░░░ purges effectively Like these ░░░░░░░░ have nothing on Stalin ░░░░░░░░ have nothing on the ░░░░░░░░ Their motivations may be ░░░░░░░░ but their effectiveness really ░░░░░░░░ a lot to be —“