“The president doesn’t own DOJ, it’s not his law firm.” Emil Bove, who worked closely alongside Blanche to represent Trump in his Manhattan criminal case and two federal prosecutions, was one of the earliest top DOJ officials in place when Trump returned to power. Asked to comment on Trump’s propensity to pluck judges and DOJ officials from his personal legal team, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said “all of President Trump’s nominees are eminently qualified to serve in the positions they have been nominated for.” There is some precedent for a president nominating an attorney general with close personal ties. The other was a civil fraud lawsuit brought by the New York attorney general, in which a trial judge found Trump and his family business had committed fraud.