Todd Blanch's Membership Bid Faces Opposition at Club

Todd Blanch, a former attorney general, began the process to join the Metropolitan Club, one of Washington D.C.'s oldest private clubs, in February of last year. His application faced significant opposition, with at least six members writing to the club's board of directors to object, citing concerns over his ties to the Department of Justice during the Trump administration.

Members expressed that the Justice Department had become an instrument of political vengeance, which raised alarms about Blanch's potential membership. The Metropolitan Club, founded in 1860, has a history of controversies, including past discrimination against Black members and women.

Blanch's application required two sponsors and at least eight supporting letters from current members, with Bill Burck and James M. McDonald serving as his main sponsors.

The club's membership list includes prominent figures such as former U.S. presidents and cabinet members, and current members noted that the club's standards had slipped, urging leadership to reject Blanch's application.