Over 100 current and former federal judges have sent a letter to the New York State Bar Association raising serious concerns over acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and calling for a professional and ethics investigation into his conduct in office.

The judges allege that Blanche, who has been serving as acting attorney general after President Donald Trump fired Pam Bondi from the post in April, is operating with a conflict of interest because he previously defended Trump in criminal cases. 

That is particularly concerning, the judges say, because Blanche’s day-to-day responsibilities involve overseeing investigations into the Epstein Files, where Trump, his former client, is referenced more than 5,300 times. Additionally, Blanche oversaw the questioning of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and co-conspirator, when he served as a deputy attorney general in 2025 before she was suddenly transferred to a minimum-security prison, going against the Bureau of Prisons’ policy for sex offenders.

The 73-page letter to the New York State Bar Association, authored jointly by the judges and legal advocacy groups Democracy Defenders Fund and Lawyers Defending American Democracy, expresses doubt he’s able to carry out his legal responsibility on that matter impartially, detailing roughly a dozen instances in which they’re concerned Blanche has acted improperly, mischaracterized something or violated professional ethical conduct. 

It also calls into question Blanche’s participation in the recent settlement agreement that would have created a nearly $2 billion Anti-Weaponization slush fund, suggesting that while Blanche was supposed to be representing the people of the United States against the president in the matter, they’re concerned he was actually providing legal advice to Trump or throwing the case in the president’s favor.

When reached for comment, the Department of Justice charged that the judges’ complaint is a “pathetic stunt conjured up by activist judges” who are “desperate” for a “crumb of attention from the liberal media.”

“Acting AG Blanche continues to serve the Department and American people with the utmost professionalism and integrity,” a DOJ spokesperson claimed in a statement. 

The New York State Bar declined to comment when asked about the ethics complaint.

Judges say Todd Blanche put Trump’s agenda before the Constitution

Blanche and the DOJ never contested Trump’s claims before settling the case in favor of the president, which the judges allege is preferential treatment of Trump that “raises serious questions,” particularly because the settlement, which has since been struck down, gave Trump “extraordinary release of tax liability and liability for other legal claims. Blanche had previously vowed that he would cease representing his former client and testified to Congress that he would not violate ethical obligations at the DOJ. 

“Time and again, acting AG Blanche has prioritized Donald Trump’s personal agenda over the non-partisan integrity demanded by his oath of office,” the judges allege.

Senate confirmation hearings for Blanche are set for July 15 and July 16. U.S. Senators have criticized Blanche, particularly regarding his conduct in the slush fund settlement.

State bar associations are tasked with responding to ethics complaints and investigating attorneys in their state. As Blanche is barred in New York, the judges from across the country have signed onto the complaint asking the New York State Bar to investigate his conduct. 

Blanche worked as a paralegal and assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York for roughly 15 years before leaving the department and serving as a defense attorney for Trump through 2023 and 2024. Most recently a deputy attorney general, he was appointed to head the Justice Department when Trump fired Bondi in April.

Scott Harshbarger, the co-founder of Lawyers Defending American Democracy and two-term Massachusetts attorney general, said he hoped the state bar’s attorney grievance committee would “recognize” its responsibility to investigate Blanche.

“The damage over these many months to the once esteemed Department of Justice has been incalculable,” said Harshbarger, who signed onto the letter. “Historically, it was an honor to serve in the Department and lawyers did so with integrity and strict adherence to the Rules of Professional Conduct.”