I don’t know if it’s accurate to say the president’s lawfare against his nemesis, James Comey, gets more ridiculous with each new episode. What’s sure is that each new episode is ridiculous — and utterly lawless — in its own way. The latest one, an effort to charge Comey with a time-barred leak of alleged national defense information, is notable for what it says about Attorney General Todd Blanche’s stewardship of the Justice Department.
Supporters of Blanche’s confirmation rationalized that he was the best one could hope for in a Trump administration because he’d supposedly look out for the interests of law enforcement despite the president’s disregard for the Constitution, his oath to execute the laws faithfully, and DOJ norms of nonpartisanship. We who opposed Blanche’s confirmation countered that (a) Blanche’s allegiance was to Trump and when it got down to choices between Trump’s retribution agenda and the interests of law enforcement, Blanche would abet Trump in riding roughshod over law enforcement; and (b) the Senate’s Appointments Clause duty in vetting nominees is to be a check on executive lawlessness and thus its obligation was to deny confirmations unless and until the president changed his lawless ways.
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