Rachel Maddow, host of MS NOW, stated on Monday, November 9, 2026, that the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress should pursue the impeachment of U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. During an appearance on "The Daily Show," Maddow identified Blanche as a primary target for legislative action alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is already the subject of removal efforts.
The comments come as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Maddow suggested that impeachment proceedings are necessary to address what she described as a "crime wave in progress" and to establish that administration officials cannot act without consequence.
Maddow specifically cited Blanche's interactions regarding Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, as grounds for impeachment. She noted a meeting between Blanche and Maxwell that preceded Maxwell's transfer to a less restrictive prison facility where, according to reports cited by Maddow, Maxwell was permitted access to a puppy. Maddow characterized the circumstances of this transfer as "impeachment-level stuff."
Beyond the Maxwell matter, Maddow argued that the Department of Justice under Blanche failed to investigate the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Both individuals were killed in separate encounters with federal immigration agents. Maddow's broader legislative recommendations included investigating and defunding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), implementing health care protections, and using congressional funding powers to end the conflict with Iran.
For the general public, the scale of these proposed actions includes the potential restructuring or elimination of ICE, an agency with thousands of employees and a multi-billion dollar budget. Maddow also called for legislative changes to health insurance and a ban on stock trading for all members of Congress and political donations from federal contractors. These changes would alter the financial regulations for 535 federal lawmakers and thousands of private companies that hold government contracts, while potentially changing how millions of Americans access or maintain their health insurance coverage.
The timeline for these actions depends on the seating of the new Congress. While Maddow outlined these goals on November 9, 2026, the specific dates for any introduced articles of impeachment, budget hearings for ICE, or votes on congressional stock trading bans were not reported. The immediate next steps involve the transition of congressional leadership and the formal introduction of legislation or investigative probes once the new session begins.