1. United States
2. W.V.
3. Letter

At 4:17 in the morning on August 8, the United States Senate voted 50–49 to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General. Then, having finished installing Donald Trump’s former personal defense attorney at the head of the Department of Justice, senators prepared to disappear for their August recess. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice: you both voted yes. That vote is indefensible. The Attorney General is supposed to represent the United States and enforce the law without fear or favor. Todd Blanche built his recent public profile representing Donald Trump personally, then served in an administration already facing grave accusations that the Justice Department is being used to reward allies, shield the President and pursue his perceived enemies. This is not some abstract concern about partisan appearances. Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski themselves voted against Blanche. Yet West Virginia’s senators apparently could not summon even that minimal level of independence. And the timing makes the contempt for the public even harder to ignore. Congress has communities waiting for disaster assistance, families facing enormous changes to healthcare and nutrition programs, unresolved federal funding issues and constituents who cannot simply declare themselves unavailable for a month when their work becomes difficult. But the Senate can stay up until after 4 a.m. when the priority is confirming Donald Trump’s former lawyer to control the Department of Justice — and then head home for recess. That tells Americans exactly what your priorities are. You were not elected to serve as a confirmation machine for one man. You were elected to provide advice and consent, exercise oversight, defend the constitutional separation of powers and represent your constituents. A 50–49 vote is not a mandate. It is a warning. West Virginians deserve senators willing to say no when an administration demands loyalty over independence. Instead, Senators Capito and Justice chose party obedience at precisely the moment the country needed institutional courage. Enjoy the recess. Your constituents will still be here when you return, living with the consequences of the votes you cast before leaving town. And we are paying attention.