Suffolk PBA backs Todd Blanche for US attorney general

The Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association backed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the nation’s top law-enforcement post, saying his record prosecuting violent criminals and his familiarity with Long Island gangs and fentanyl made him the right choice. The endorsement came as Blanche, who was already serving as acting attorney general, moved through a Senate confirmation fight with support from police groups beyond Suffolk County.

The union said it “proudly supports the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to serve as the next Attorney General of the United States.” On Long Island, that statement carries weight: Newsday has described the Suffolk PBA as one of the island’s most powerful political forces, and its public backing often signals where county law enforcement wants Washington to focus.

Blanche’s background was central to the PBA’s case. ABC News reported that before his Justice Department leadership role, he was a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, and another report said he spent nine years prosecuting violent gangs and drug dealers. He had also been appointed the Justice Department’s No. 2 attorney last year before becoming acting attorney general.

The Suffolk endorsement echoed a broader national push. A July 2026 White House statement was headlined “Law Enforcement Leaders Across America Support Todd Blanche for Attorney General,” and the Senate Judiciary Committee said Blanche had received “an outpouring of support” from law enforcement, angel families, bipartisan Justice Department officials and legal organizations ahead of committee hearings.

The timing mattered in Suffolk County, where fentanyl cases remain a blunt local concern for police and prosecutors. Recent reporting has tracked major fentanyl-related busts in the county, including a New York City-Long Island drug ring case that underscored how regional the threat has become. For Suffolk law enforcement, Blanche’s résumé on gangs and drug trafficking appeared to fit the county’s day-to-day worries as well as the broader cooperation police leaders want from Washington.

Blanche’s hearing also drew scrutiny over politically sensitive Justice Department matters, including questions about the Epstein files. Even so, the Suffolk PBA’s backing placed its political influence squarely behind a nominee it said understands the threats local police say they face most often.