The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell

S2 Ep152: Todd Blanche’s Jaw-Dropping Ethics Violation (w/ Andrew Weissmann)

11 snips
Mar 28, 2026
Andrew Weissmann, former DOJ official and FBI general counsel, offers sharp legal perspective. They dig into the DOJ’s $1.25M payout to Michael Flynn and a surprising leak of sensitive documents. Tensions flare over a top official labeling Jack Smith a “proven liar.” The conversation also covers press access rules, AI supply-chain disputes, and Robert Mueller’s legacy.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ADVICE

Investigate DOJ Officials Who Settled Cases Involving Allies

  • Future administrations should pursue ethics and possibly legal reviews into DOJ actions that rewarded allies with public funds to determine if officials violated recusal rules.
  • Weissmann urges scrutiny of Pam Bondi and Todd Blanche because they previously represented Trump and should have recused from related DOJ decisions.
INSIGHT

Inadvertent DOJ Leak Raises Alarm Over Sensitive Docs

  • A DOJ document production accidentally released material suggesting Jack Smith flagged some classified Mar-a-Lago items as tied to 'business interests.'
  • Weissmann and Jonathan Last note the leak violated a court order and creates serious concerns about internal controls and politicized handling of sensitive material.
INSIGHT

Senior DOJ Rhetoric Undercuts Institutional Neutrality

  • Todd Blanche's public attack calling Jack Smith a 'proven liar' exemplifies politicized rhetoric from senior DOJ officials with conflicts of interest.
  • Weissmann says Blanche's statement is improper, especially given his prior role as Trump's defense lawyer and DOJ recusal norms.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app