Although Todd Blanche has never explained himself, I think he is an example of a true MAGA convert. He once lived in the DOJ ecosystem, but now he has realized that the country is in a crisis that demands a totally new approach to politics and governance. The leftwing Antifa America-hating enemy must be fought with every means fair and foul. To give a parallel, Vance once called Trump a Hitler like figure but later saw the light and joined the MAGA army. Of course, with Vance there was clearer element of self-advancement in the conversion.
Todd Blanche's bonafides as a trump mouthpiece and defense lawyer were all on parade during the business-fraud/hush-money trial in Manhattan, where he repeatedly butted heads with the trial judge, was called out as "unprofessional", and ultimately lost the case.
He also served as chief counsel for the notorious Paul Manafort in one of the latter's many criminal indictments.
Bottom line: A long history with trump, his criminal organizations, and trump-adjacent bad guys. And now practicing his trade on a national scale as a top DOJ henchman for trump's revenge tour. A real piece of work, to which we can all agree.
Todd Blanche's father was was a strict, authoritarian Pentecostal preacher who preached from home for a while and was also imprisoned at one point. Check out Nina Burleigh's article on Blanche at her substack American Freakshow. His childhood contributed a lot to what he is today. Many of these MAGA nuts have daddy and/or mommy issues.
First, about Blanche. I just can't see how anybody who works for Trump (and even more so in his second term) can ever be considered to have any discernible amount of morality or ethics. This goes double for anybody trained in the law. Blanche's ambition certainly seems to have overwhelmed all possible matters of propriety he may once have had, leaving him behaving like a remora who somehow thinks of Trump as a ravaging shark rather than the rapidly deflating hot air balloon he's become.
The ultimate problem with this Administration is that Trump has already promised to pardon anybody who gets in trouble for having followed his orders, which makes any thought of a future Nuremberg trial highly problematic. Knowing this, all of his toadies understand that there will be neither restraints nor consequences for whatever they do, and we need to be prepared for them to do all of the drastically unlawful things they believe will be necessary to keep Trump in power and their personal asses out of the fire. There are no better angels left to appeal to.
Last, kudos for Pope Leo. If that video clip gets enough distribution, MAGA heads will be exploding nationwide like the Fourth of July.
Yet again, in this case re Blanche: I keep saying they’re all insane — our leaders, both private and public — and I sound nuts. Yet there’s no proof that I’m wrong (literally only Mackenzie Scott excepted).
So back to Blanche: An insane, moronic feral monster has appointed people to top level positions with the primary attributes being willing to stroke the monster’s ego and look good on TV. Behind those two are being willing to put in some effort to satisfy the madman’s whims.
And there is Blanche, in no way an outlier among his peers.
Trying to impute to him being better than that is a form of sanewashing: It’s just wrong IMO. They’re all insane and denying that does no one any good.
We freely re-empowered someone proven to be completely unfit for any office involving any responsibility to the public, POTUS obviously most of all, and need to come to terms with the awful thing we did. And trying to see Trump’s people as being in any way normal frustrates that necessary exercise. Reelecting was an act of historic stupidity. Trying to see those people as better than 5hey are frustrates the learning process.
Terri Gross, "Fresh Air" on NPR, years ago interviewed now deceased author, Phillip Kerr, about his Bernie Gunther Berlin Noir. She asked why he wrote said noir and highlighted the Heydrich, Himmler et al figures. Answer: they were mostly lawyers or at top of their professions, and PK believed people needed to be reminded of this reality. [. BTW, very good noir series. ]
Blanche seems to be a clumsier, more outspoken version of Bondi. But he’s following Barr’s precedent. Right now, the legacy media is serving as his stenographers. Soon the conventional wisdom will award him the job praising his no nonsense approach and accessibility. These things are no longer dispositive anymore, but still a substantial influence, despite the discrediting of both.
Although Todd Blanche has never explained himself, I think he is an example of a true MAGA convert. He once lived in the DOJ ecosystem, but now he has realized that the country is in a crisis that demands a totally new approach to politics and governance. The leftwing Antifa America-hating enemy must be fought with every means fair and foul. To give a parallel, Vance once called Trump a Hitler like figure but later saw the light and joined the MAGA army. Of course, with Vance there was clearer element of self-advancement in the conversion.
Todd Blanche's bonafides as a trump mouthpiece and defense lawyer were all on parade during the business-fraud/hush-money trial in Manhattan, where he repeatedly butted heads with the trial judge, was called out as "unprofessional", and ultimately lost the case.
He also served as chief counsel for the notorious Paul Manafort in one of the latter's many criminal indictments.
Bottom line: A long history with trump, his criminal organizations, and trump-adjacent bad guys. And now practicing his trade on a national scale as a top DOJ henchman for trump's revenge tour. A real piece of work, to which we can all agree.
Todd Blanche's father was was a strict, authoritarian Pentecostal preacher who preached from home for a while and was also imprisoned at one point. Check out Nina Burleigh's article on Blanche at her substack American Freakshow. His childhood contributed a lot to what he is today. Many of these MAGA nuts have daddy and/or mommy issues.
First, about Blanche. I just can't see how anybody who works for Trump (and even more so in his second term) can ever be considered to have any discernible amount of morality or ethics. This goes double for anybody trained in the law. Blanche's ambition certainly seems to have overwhelmed all possible matters of propriety he may once have had, leaving him behaving like a remora who somehow thinks of Trump as a ravaging shark rather than the rapidly deflating hot air balloon he's become.
The ultimate problem with this Administration is that Trump has already promised to pardon anybody who gets in trouble for having followed his orders, which makes any thought of a future Nuremberg trial highly problematic. Knowing this, all of his toadies understand that there will be neither restraints nor consequences for whatever they do, and we need to be prepared for them to do all of the drastically unlawful things they believe will be necessary to keep Trump in power and their personal asses out of the fire. There are no better angels left to appeal to.
Last, kudos for Pope Leo. If that video clip gets enough distribution, MAGA heads will be exploding nationwide like the Fourth of July.
Yet again, in this case re Blanche: I keep saying they’re all insane — our leaders, both private and public — and I sound nuts. Yet there’s no proof that I’m wrong (literally only Mackenzie Scott excepted).
So back to Blanche: An insane, moronic feral monster has appointed people to top level positions with the primary attributes being willing to stroke the monster’s ego and look good on TV. Behind those two are being willing to put in some effort to satisfy the madman’s whims.
And there is Blanche, in no way an outlier among his peers.
Trying to impute to him being better than that is a form of sanewashing: It’s just wrong IMO. They’re all insane and denying that does no one any good.
We freely re-empowered someone proven to be completely unfit for any office involving any responsibility to the public, POTUS obviously most of all, and need to come to terms with the awful thing we did. And trying to see Trump’s people as being in any way normal frustrates that necessary exercise. Reelecting was an act of historic stupidity. Trying to see those people as better than 5hey are frustrates the learning process.
Seems like the Epstein Files are slipping further and further away from the news! 😡
Terri Gross, "Fresh Air" on NPR, years ago interviewed now deceased author, Phillip Kerr, about his Bernie Gunther Berlin Noir. She asked why he wrote said noir and highlighted the Heydrich, Himmler et al figures. Answer: they were mostly lawyers or at top of their professions, and PK believed people needed to be reminded of this reality. [. BTW, very good noir series. ]
Occam’s razor.
Shorter pope: we DGAF about pedarasty in fact we’re proud of it. FFS
Blanche seems to be a clumsier, more outspoken version of Bondi. But he’s following Barr’s precedent. Right now, the legacy media is serving as his stenographers. Soon the conventional wisdom will award him the job praising his no nonsense approach and accessibility. These things are no longer dispositive anymore, but still a substantial influence, despite the discrediting of both.