Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
'BIG problem': Legal expert says Trump DOJ lied to judge about Todd Blanche's actions [View all]
Blanche is a liar and an asshole
'BIG problem': Legal expert says Trump DOJ lied to judge about Todd Blanche's actions
— Blue Freedom Quest 💙🌊💙🌊 (@bluefreedomquest.bsky.social) 2025-12-23T22:00:03.690Z
www.rawstory.com/todd-blanche...
https://www.rawstory.com/todd-blanche-abrego-garcia/
Newly released files in the case of wrongly-deported Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia indicate that the Justice Department has been misrepresenting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's connection to the case for months, legal expert and American Immigration Council fellow Aaron Reichlin-Melnick posted to X on Tuesday.
Abrego, who for years had a life and family in Maryland, was illegally removed to the infamous Salvadoran CECOT megaprison earlier this year, despite a judge's order prohibiting his deportation to that specific country. After months of public protest, the administration finally repatriated him to the United States, but then immediately filed dubious gang-related charges against him. Abrego's legal team is now seeking the dismissal of these charges on the basis of vindictive prosecution.
The Trump administration has argued the prosecution couldn't be vindictive, because neither Blanche nor any of the higher-ups in more political roles has a hand in deciding to prosecute Abrego. But documents released on Tuesday by District Judge Waverly Crenshaw suggest this was not true, Reichlin-Melnick argued.
"Due to a redacting error in a defense brief, we already know that Crenshaw’s 12/3 ruling, still under seal, concluded that Blanche’s associate, Aakash Singh, played 'a leading role' in deciding to prosecute Abrego," wrote Lawfare's Roger Parloff on X. "In an effort to fend off Abrego’s vindictive prosecution claims, McGuire claimed he alone made the decision, and he was untainted by the vindictive motives attributable to Trump/Blanche. (Just like Halligan claiming that she, not Trump, decided to pursue Comey & James.) But after reviewing still non-public correspondence between Blanche’s office and McGuire, Crenshaw found otherwise."
Crenshaw's rulilng "might also shed light on why [former Nashville Assistant U.S. Attorney] Ben Schrader ... quit rather than participate in the case," wrote Parloff.
Abrego, who for years had a life and family in Maryland, was illegally removed to the infamous Salvadoran CECOT megaprison earlier this year, despite a judge's order prohibiting his deportation to that specific country. After months of public protest, the administration finally repatriated him to the United States, but then immediately filed dubious gang-related charges against him. Abrego's legal team is now seeking the dismissal of these charges on the basis of vindictive prosecution.
The Trump administration has argued the prosecution couldn't be vindictive, because neither Blanche nor any of the higher-ups in more political roles has a hand in deciding to prosecute Abrego. But documents released on Tuesday by District Judge Waverly Crenshaw suggest this was not true, Reichlin-Melnick argued.
"Due to a redacting error in a defense brief, we already know that Crenshaw’s 12/3 ruling, still under seal, concluded that Blanche’s associate, Aakash Singh, played 'a leading role' in deciding to prosecute Abrego," wrote Lawfare's Roger Parloff on X. "In an effort to fend off Abrego’s vindictive prosecution claims, McGuire claimed he alone made the decision, and he was untainted by the vindictive motives attributable to Trump/Blanche. (Just like Halligan claiming that she, not Trump, decided to pursue Comey & James.) But after reviewing still non-public correspondence between Blanche’s office and McGuire, Crenshaw found otherwise."
Crenshaw's rulilng "might also shed light on why [former Nashville Assistant U.S. Attorney] Ben Schrader ... quit rather than participate in the case," wrote Parloff.
5 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read