Exclusive | Todd Blanche tells Post hes honored to be nominated as permanent AG, pledges to work across aisle

COLUMBUS — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told The Post in an interview Thursday that he’s “honored” to receive the president’s nomination as “permanent” head of the Justice Department, saying he’ll work with both GOP and Democratic lawmakers if confirmed.Blanche said he’s coordinating closely with FBI Director Kash Patel since the exit of former AG Pam Bondi — including on fraud busts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars — and that cracking down on scoundrels, illegal immigration and violent or drug-trafficking crimes were top priorities.“The violent crime numbers are down to historic lows, and that’s because of President Trump and him unleashing law enforcement to do their jobs,” Blanche said.

“There’s a slogan, ‘Make America Safe Again,’ that is not just a slogan for us: It’s actually our way of life.”Trump intends to formally nominate his next AG soon, but broke the news Wednesday at an event in the Rose Garden — with Blanche, his former defense attorney, in attendance.“I talk to him regularly about the work we’re doing, and he knows that everybody in the department’s working really hard,” he said of the president, adding that he didn’t have any “specific conversations” about his pending appointment that will require Senate confirmation.

Asked about his priorities should he win enough votes in the Senate, Blanche answered: “Most importantly and meaningfully, the work we’re doing right now, so we’re on a trip to Ohio to talk about fraud cases that the department is bringing that the FBI worked on.”Blanche worked in his early years as a prosecutor in the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, initially as a paralegal while attending law school by night and then as an assistant US attorney, rising to become the co-chief of the office’s violent crimes division, bringing cases against drug dealers, gangs and murderers.On Thursday, the acting AG stood alongside Pat...