US Attorney General Todd Blanche: DOJ to probe AI crimes, not regulate
Todd Blanche stated the Department of Justice will investigate AI-related crimes but will not regulate the technology.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Photograph: Ryan M. Biller via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
What this story says
- US Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the Department of Justice will investigate AI-related crimes but will not regulate the technology.
- Blanche accused Democrats of using the AI debate to influence the midterm elections.
- The DOJ will investigate 'anybody associated' with AI if they violate the law, according to Blanche.
- Blanche prefers a restrained approach to taking enforcement action against AI companies and executives.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 41 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 10 of the 51 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
57/100
Hype
41/100
51 sources · methodology
Missing from the right
Only 3 of the 41 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
A reader who follows the right would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche has stated that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will investigate crimes related to artificial intelligence but will not act as a regulatory body for the technology. Blanche indicated that the DOJ would investigate "anybody associated" with AI if they violated the law, citing the existence of "a lot of criminal laws" applicable to the field. He expressed a preference for a restrained approach to enforcement actions against AI companies and their executives.
Disagreement on political motivation
US Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Democrats of using the debate over artificial intelligence to influence the upcoming midterm elections. Reports from Washington Times and Newsweek specifically mention Blanche's accusation of Democrats orchestrating a "phony panic" or using AI "hoax" concerns for political gain. Yonhap News Agency also reported that Blanche linked the current AI controversy to an attempt to influence the midterm elections.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated digests mention the bipartisan bloc of 36 state attorneys general or Florida's lawsuit against OpenAI, which Startup Fortune reported on. The right-rated digests do not mention the bipartisan bloc of 36 state attorneys general or Florida's lawsuit against OpenAI, which Startup Fortune reported on. The centre-rated digests do not mention the bipartisan bloc of 36 state attorneys general or Florida's lawsuit against OpenAI, which Startup Fortune reported on.
Coverage settled. We checked this 108 times and stopped on 20 Sept 2026, 23:00. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
16 rated outlets
- The left-rated reports focused on Attorney General Todd Blanche's statement that the Department of Justice will investigate AI-related crimes but will not regulate the technology. NBC News's full report headline stated, "Blanche says it's not the job of DOJ to 'regulate' AI." Bloomberg Law's digest also highlighted Blanche's opposition to AI 'regulation by prosecution' and his preference for a restrained enforcement approach.
Centre
22 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports highlighted Attorney General Todd Blanche's stance on the DOJ's role concerning AI. Multiple outlets, including Reuters, WTVB, and Market Screener, reported that Blanche said the DOJ would probe AI-related violations and investigate "anybody associated" with AI if they broke the law. CBS News noted Blanche's appearance at a White House briefing where he took questions on AI regulations. Devdiscourse reported Blanche's emphasis on enforcing existing laws rather than regulating AI itself. Bloomberg also noted Blanche's opposition to AI 'regulation by prosecution' and his preference for a restrained approach.
Right
3 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports focused on Attorney General Todd Blanche's statements regarding the political motivations behind the AI debate and his approach to enforcement. Washington Times and Newsweek reported Blanche accusing Democrats of creating a "phony panic" or using AI "hoax" concerns to influence the midterm elections. Anadolu Ajansı and Yonhap News Agency also reported Blanche's view that the AI controversy was an attempt to influence the midterms. Just the News reported Blanche stating he would not regulate AI by prosecution but would probe those who commit AI-related crimes.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover US Attorney General Todd Blanche: DOJ to probe AI crimes, not regulate?
- Of the 41 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 39% are rated left, 54% are rated centre, 7% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 51. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is US Attorney General Todd Blanche: DOJ to probe AI crimes, not regulate left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 41 rated outlets on this story, 39% are rated left, 54% are rated centre, 7% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of US Attorney General Todd Blanche: DOJ to probe AI crimes, not regulate biased?
- US Attorney General Todd Blanche: DOJ to probe AI crimes, not regulate is one event reported by 51 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting US Attorney General Todd Blanche: DOJ to probe AI crimes, not regulate?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered US Attorney General Todd Blanche: DOJ to probe AI crimes, not regulate?
- 51 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- Will the Department of Justice regulate artificial intelligence?
- US Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the Department of Justice will investigate AI-related crimes but will not be the regulatory body for the technology. He prefers a restrained approach to enforcement actions against AI companies and executives.
- Why does Todd Blanche think Democrats are discussing AI?
- Todd Blanche accused Democrats of using the debate over artificial intelligence to influence the upcoming midterm elections. He suggested that the current AI controversy was an attempt to politically impact the elections.
- What is the DOJ's approach to AI-related violations?
- The Department of Justice will investigate "anybody associated" with AI if they violate the law, according to Attorney General Todd Blanche. He indicated a preference for a restrained approach to enforcement actions against AI companies and executives.
Read it at the source
79 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
17- Blanche’s campaigning breaks an ethical norm (opens Arizona Daily Sun in a new tab)
Arizona Daily Sun — is Arizona Daily Sun biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump’s AG sparks concerns about boundaries with frequent political rally appearances (opens The Independent (US) in a new tab)
The Independent (US) — is The Independent (US) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump’s AG sparks concerns about boundaries with frequent political rally appearances (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Ethics expert flags Todd Blanche's 'lockstep' misstep: 'Incredible break with tradition' (opens Raw Story in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Sentinel Colorado in a new tab)
Sentinel Colorado — is Sentinel Colorado biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The Attorney General Hits the Campaign Trail for GOP Candidates (opens Talking Points Memo in a new tab)
Talking Points Memo — is Talking Points Memo biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's Appearances At Political Events Blur Justice Department Boundaries (opens HuffPost in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 9 more
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens The Avery Journal-Times in a new tab)
The Avery Journal-Times — is The Avery Journal-Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens El Paso Inc. in a new tab)
El Paso Inc. — is El Paso Inc. biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Watauga Democrat in a new tab)
Watauga Democrat — is Watauga Democrat biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Associated Press News in a new tab)
Associated Press News — is Associated Press News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Durango Herald in a new tab)
Durango Herald — is Durango Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Enid News & Eagle in a new tab)
Enid News & Eagle — is Enid News & Eagle biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Bangor Daily News in a new tab)
Bangor Daily News — is Bangor Daily News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘Seismic shift’: Todd Blanche’s political appearances shatter another DOJ norm (opens NBC News in a new tab)
- Blanche says it's not the job of DOJ to 'regulate' AI (opens NBC News in a new tab)
NBC News
Centre
31- Blanche under fire for rallies, speeches | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (opens NW Arkansas Democrat Gazette in a new tab)
NW Arkansas Democrat Gazette — is NW Arkansas Democrat Gazette biased? Our profile of this outlet
- AG Blanche's political appearances blur DOJ boundaries (opens TimesDaily in a new tab)
TimesDaily — is TimesDaily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens keenesentinel.com in a new tab)
keenesentinel.com — is keenesentinel.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche’s Appearances at Political Events Blur Justice Department Boundaries (opens WTTW in a new tab)
- U.S. Justice Secretary Questioned for Speaking in Partisan Acts and Politicizing Agency · Global Voices (opens Santa Maria Times in a new tab)
Santa Maria Times — is Santa Maria Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- U.S. Justice Secretary Questioned for Speaking in Partisan Acts and Politicizing Agency · Global Voices (opens LancasterOnline in a new tab)
LancasterOnline — is LancasterOnline biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Todd Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a new tab)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — is Pittsburgh Post-Gazette biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Sun-Sentinel in a new tab)
Sun-Sentinel — is Sun-Sentinel biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 23 more
- Attorney General Blanche’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens The Record in a new tab)
The Record — is The Record biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens My Mother Lode in a new tab)
My Mother Lode — is My Mother Lode biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Carolina Coast Online in a new tab)
Carolina Coast Online — is Carolina Coast Online biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries – WTOP News (opens Washington Top News in a new tab)
Washington Top News — is Washington Top News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Winnipeg Free Press in a new tab)
Winnipeg Free Press — is Winnipeg Free Press biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur J (opens WBAL in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens union-bulletin.com in a new tab)
union-bulletin.com — is union-bulletin.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens KTBS in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens GazetteXtra in a new tab)
GazetteXtra — is GazetteXtra biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Joplin Globe in a new tab)
Joplin Globe — is Joplin Globe biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens The Northern Virginia Daily in a new tab)
The Northern Virginia Daily — is The Northern Virginia Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Ottumwa Courier in a new tab)
Ottumwa Courier — is Ottumwa Courier biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens WKMG in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens TelegraphHerald.com in a new tab)
TelegraphHerald.com — is TelegraphHerald.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- U.S. Justice Department Presses On: DiGenova Steps Down (opens Devdiscourse in a new tab)
Devdiscourse — is Devdiscourse biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Blanche talks possible DOJ role in AI regulations, mail-in voting at White House briefing (opens CBS News in a new tab)
- US attorney general says probes handled by ex-prosecutor DiGenova will continue (opens The Mighty 790 KFGO in a new tab)
The Mighty 790 KFGO — is The Mighty 790 KFGO biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US attorney general says probes handled by ex-prosecutor DiGenova will continue (opens WTVB in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche says DOJ would probe AI-related violations (opens WTVB in a new tab)
WTVB
- Attorney General Blanche says DOJ would probe AI-related violations (opens Reuters in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche says DOJ would probe AI-related violations (opens Market Screener in a new tab)
Market Screener — is Market Screener biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche Opposes AI ‘Regulation by Prosecution’ (opens Bloomberg in a new tab)
- US attorney general says probes handled by ex-prosecutor DiGenova will continue (opens Reuters in a new tab)
Reuters
Right
14- U.S. Attorney General’s Participation in Republican Campaign Launches Controversy · Global Voices (opens Clarin in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche’s Appearances At Political Events Blur Justice Department Boundaries (opens VINnews in a new tab)
- Todd Blanche rises to political stardom as top campaign surrogate (opens Washington Examiner in a new tab)
Washington Examiner — is Washington Examiner biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US Justice Department will investigate AI-related crimes, but won't regulate, attorney general says (opens Anadolu Ajansı in a new tab)
Anadolu Ajansı — is Anadolu Ajansı biased? Our profile of this outlet
- DOJ to Investigate AI-Related Crimes, Attorney General Blanche Says (opens tippinsights in a new tab)
tippinsights — is tippinsights biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche accuses Democrats of phony 'panic' over AI before midterm elections (opens Washington Times in a new tab)
Washington Times — is Washington Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Blanche says Democrats driving AI fears to 'influence the midterms' (opens Washington Examiner in a new tab)
Washington Examiner
- US attorney general says probes handled by ex-prosecutor DiGenova will continue - Regional Media News (opens regionalmedianews.com in a new tab)
regionalmedianews.com — is regionalmedianews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 6 more
- U.S. Department of Justice: "Current AI Controversy Is an Attempt to Influence Midterm Elections" (opens 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency in a new tab)
연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency — is 연합뉴스-Yonhap News Agency biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump's AG Says AI 'Hoax' Concerns Are Attempt to 'Influence the Midterms' (opens Newsweek in a new tab)
- US attorney general says probes handled by ex-prosecutor DiGenova will continue (opens wmbdradio.com in a new tab)
wmbdradio.com — is wmbdradio.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- US attorney general says probes handled by ex-prosecutor DiGenova will continue (opens WTAQ in a new tab)
- US attorney general says probes handled by ex-prosecutor DiGenova will continue (opens WKZO in a new tab)
- Blanche says he will not regulate AI by prosecution, will probe those who commit AI related crimes (opens Just the News in a new tab)
Just the News — is Just the News biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
17- AG Todd Blanche Faces Hatch Act Complaint Over NY Rally (opens Hoodline in a new tab)
- U.S. Attorney General Makes Republican Campaign and Generates Controversy (opens Noticias ao Minuto in a new tab)
Noticias ao Minuto — is Noticias ao Minuto biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump’s Attorney General’s Participation in the Republican Campaign Sets Up Controversy in the U.S. · Global Voices (opens noticiasdegipuzkoa.eus in a new tab)
noticiasdegipuzkoa.eus — is noticiasdegipuzkoa.eus biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump’s Attorney General’s Participation in the Republican Campaign Sets Up Controversy in the U.S. · Global Voices (opens Noticias de Navarra in a new tab)
Noticias de Navarra — is Noticias de Navarra biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump’s Attorney General’s Participation in the Republican Campaign Sets Up Controversy in the U.S. · Global Voices (opens noticiasdealava.eus in a new tab)
noticiasdealava.eus — is noticiasdealava.eus biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Trump’s Attorney General’s Participation in the Republican Campaign Sets Up Controversy in the U.S. · Global Voices (opens Deia in a new tab)
- Attorney General Blanche blurs Justice Department boundaries by appearing at political events (opens BizToc in a new tab)
- U.S. Justice Secretary Questioned for Speaking in Partisan Acts and Politicizing Agency · Global Voices (opens Independent Español in a new tab)
Independent Español — is Independent Español biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 9 more
- Attorney General Blanche’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens Loonie Politics in a new tab)
Loonie Politics — is Loonie Politics biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche's appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries (opens KXL in a new tab)
- They Will Ignore the Warnings of the Big Names: AI Will Be Left Unchecked in the US. (opens Halk TV in a new tab)
Halk TV — is Halk TV biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- The US Department of Justice Announced It Will Investigate Crimes Linked to Artificial Intelligence. (opens Haberler in a new tab)
- Justice Department on AI: Legal Scrutiny Intensifies (opens Devdiscourse in a new tab)
Devdiscourse
- US Attorney General Todd Blanche signals hands-off DOJ approach to AI enforcement (opens Crypto Briefing in a new tab)
Crypto Briefing — is Crypto Briefing biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Todd Blanche Says the DOJ Won't Regulate AI Companies Through Prosecution (opens Startup Fortune in a new tab)
Startup Fortune — is Startup Fortune biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche Opposes AI ‘Regulation by Prosecution’ (opens Bloomberg Law in a new tab)
Bloomberg Law — is Bloomberg Law biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Attorney General Blanche Opposes AI 'Regulation by Prosecution' (opens BizToc in a new tab)
BizToc
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