US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has called for young lawyers to join a “war” against what he calls “rogue activist judges.” His comments were made during an annual Federalist Society conference, where he claimed the Justice Department is being vindicated at the appellate level. Blanche argued that even in liberal courts, the administration’s position is winning more stays and reversals.
However, this stance was met with criticism from US District Judge Mark Wolf, who resigned to speak out against the administration’s attacks on the judiciary. Wolf accused President Trump of using the law for partisan purposes and said he could no longer remain silent.
The Trump administration has been engaged in a persistent battle with the courts since early in his second term, labeling judges who stymie Trump’s agenda as activists and “rogue.” Lawmakers have proposed efforts to oust these judges from their benches.
Despite this, Blanche claimed that the administration is being vindicated at the appellate level. He also took aim at state bar associations, particularly the DC Bar, which oversees professional standards for over 120,000 lawyers. The DOJ has vowed to strip away bar associations’ oversight power and pay for outside counsel for attorneys facing complaints.
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Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/11/09/doj-blanche-war-activist-judges-dc-bar-associations