Blanche tries to clarify relationship between DOJ, White House

Attorney General Todd Blanche tried over the weekend to defend the Justice Department's independence from President Trump's White House. Political strategists Joel Payne and Chuck Flint join "The Takeout" with their thoughts on Blanche's comments and some of the other top political headlines.

Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday said the Department of Justice believes Congress has already granted President Trump the authority to construct the White House ballroom under existing presidential authority.  “We don’t believe we have to go to Congress. We believe Congress has already given us the authority to

US attorney general Todd Blanche has sparked backlash after he refused to confirm the Department of Justice will act independently of the White House.

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AG Blanche declines to say Dept. of Justice will be "independent" from White House  CNN

During Sunday's broadcast of NBC's "Meet the Press," Attorney General Todd Blanche rejected calls from the left-wing media to say that the Department of Justice operated independently of the White House's executive functions.

Blanche refuses to pledge DOJ independence from White House  USA Today

‘The president would never ask me to do something illegal. He never has, never will’

Todd Blanche Gets Heated After NBC Host Points Out His Jan. 6 Hypocrisy  HuffPost

“No attorney general should ever pledge that,” Blanche, newly confirmed to lead the Justice Department, said.

US attorney general says no one in his role ‘should ever’ make this vow amid concern over Trump steering DoJ US attorney general Todd Blanche on Sunday declined to assure that the federal justice department he helms would always act independently of the White House and Donald Trump. “No, I’m not going to pledge that,”

Todd Blanche insists efforts to force states to turn over voter rolls will continue but says Trump does not direct prosecutions

The attorney general said he would consider President Trump's views and rejected calls for a pledge of DOJ independence.

Todd Blanche Refuses To Pledge Independence From White House As Trump’s Attorney General  Forbes