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Todd Blanche’s nomination to be Deputy Attorney General is a clear indication that Donald Trump intends to turn the Justice Department into his own personal law firm. Blanche represented Trump across his multiple criminal trials over the past two years and has also worked for other Trump associates like Paul Manafort. While Blanche is a seemingly skilled lawyer, two former clients recently sued him for forging their signatures on documents and overbilling for legal services. Blanche and his former firm have countersued the brothers. The Watergate Scandal made clear that the independence of the DOJ was critical to prevent presidential abuses of power. Donald Trump’s disregard for that lesson could have dangerous consequences. |
Adam And Daniel Kaplan Sued Todd Blanche For Forging Their Signatures And Overbilling. According to Raw Story, "Todd Blanche and his former law firm, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, are being sued for malpractice by twin brothers Adam Kaplan and Daniel Kaplan, who allege Blanche and Cadwalader forged their signatures on a retainer agreement and 'severely' overbilled them while they were the subject of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission probe. The Kaplan brothers also reportedly allege their former attorneys are now refusing to turn over their case file to their new lawyers." [Raw Story, 6/14/23]
Todd Blanche Was A “Key Member” Of Trump’s Legal Team And Represented In Multiple Criminal Cases. According to The Hill, "Former President Trump is expected to be accompanied by a key member of his legal team when he appears at a courthouse for his Tuesday arraignment on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents: attorney Todd Blanche. Blanche, who also represents Trump in the New York criminal case involving an alleged 2016 hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, is leading Trump’s legal team as the former president makes his highly publicized appearance at federal court in Miami." [The Hill, 6/12/23]
Todd Blanche Has Represented Former Trump Campaign Staffer Paul Manafort And Associate Of Trump Advisor Rudy Giuliani. According to The Hill, "He was part of the legal team representing Paul Manafort, who worked on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. In 2019, charges were dropped in a New York case against Manafort, who was already serving more than a seven-year prison sentence after being convicted in two cases. Blanche also represented Igor Fruman, an associate of former Trump personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who received a plea deal in a case involving campaign finance violations." [The Hill, 6/12/23]