Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen led a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in urging the U.S. Senate to confirm Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as the next attorney general of the United States.
In a letter sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, Ranking Member Richard Durbin and other committee members, Knudsen urged the Senate to confirm Blanche to lead the U.S. Department of Justice. The letter cited Blanche’s commitment to public safety, efforts combating fraud against taxpayer dollars, and work strengthening partnerships with state attorneys general. It noted that under his leadership, the Justice Department has won 80% of its cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and that the nation has seen its lowest murder rate since 1900 alongside intensified federal law enforcement efforts against violent criminals, gangs, cartels, terrorists and transnational criminal organizations.
“At a time when Americans expect their government to protect communities from violent crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, and organized criminal activity, Todd Blanche has shown an ability to deliver real results,” Knudsen wrote. “His record reflects a commitment to public safety, vigorous enforcement of federal law, and effective stewardship of the Department of Justice.”
Attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia also signed onto the letter.