▲ President-elect Donald Trump with Todd Blanche (right), nominee for Deputy Attorney General [Yonhap News]
On the 14th (local time), President-elect Donald Trump nominated Todd Blanche, who served as his lawyer in the “hush money payment allegation” scandal, as the Deputy Attorney General for his second-term administration.
In a statement, Trump said, “Blanche is an excellent lawyer and will become an important leader in the Justice Department, fixing the long-broken legal system.”
He also introduced Blanche as having prosecuted gangs and other federal crimes while serving as the chief prosecutor of the Southern District of New York, working under two federal judges, and graduating with honors from law school.
According to CNN, Blanche has been acting as Trump’s lawyer since resigning from a large law firm last year.
Blanche served as the lead attorney in the hush money payment case in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Trump was accused of paying $130,000 through his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to prevent former adult film actress Stormy Daniels from disclosing their alleged affair just before the 2016 presidential election, and then falsifying company records to classify the expense as legal advisory fees. On May 30, a jury delivered a guilty verdict on all 34 felony charges.
Although only the sentencing remains for this case, significant sentencing is not expected, and it could be delayed during Trump’s presidency.
Blanche also served as the lead attorney for Trump in the case where he was accused of illegally keeping defense secret documents at his Florida residence after leaving office during his first term.
This case provided an opportunity for Trump to relieve part of his legal risks, as the court dismissed the lawsuit shortly after he dramatically survived the first assassination attempt in July.
Additionally, Trump nominated Emile Bob for Associate Deputy Attorney General, stating, “Emile is a tough and strong lawyer who will play an important role in rooting out corruption and crime in the Justice Department.”
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