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  "path": "/donald-trump/2026/06/04/trump-blanche-boutros-doj-broadview",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-04T22:36:03.113Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>President Donald Trump’s pick<b> </b>to lead the Justice Department showed support Thursday for U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, touting an increase in indictments in Chicago <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2026/06/02/durbin-duckworth-boutros-broadview-ice-trump\" target=\"_blank\" >despite mounting questions</a> about how Boutros and his team secured some of those indictments from grand jurors.</p><p>Boutros’ office has also <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/2026/tracker-federal-prosecutions-chicago-status-trumps-immigration-blitz-ice\" target=\"_blank\" >struggled to secure convictions</a> in cases tied to Operation Midway Blitz, the aggressive Trump administration deportation campaign that hit Chicago last fall. At times, his prosecutors have even had trouble <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/05/18/department-of-justice-doj-federal-court-chicago-no-bill-grand-jury\" target=\"_blank\" >convincing grand jurors</a> to hand up indictments — a once-rare rebuke.</p><p>Still, Acting Attorney General Todd<b> </b>Blanche<b> </b>wrote on social media that the Justice Department “fully supports U.S. Attorney Boutros and his efforts to combat violent crime, drug trafficking, immigration violations, and fraud.”</p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/04/07/chicago-crime-justice-department-doj-boutros-trump-midway-blitz-corruption\" >After rocky first year, Chicago’s top federal prosecutor says he isn’t taking orders from Washington</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>Blanche wrote, “we look forward to more great work from his office.”</p><p>Trump said this week he will nominate Blanche to be the nation's top law enforcement official, a role Blanche has been filling on a temporary basis.</p><p>A chorus of local Democratic elected officials has called on Boutros to resign. They include U.S. Sens. Dick<b> </b>Durbin<b> </b>and<b> </b>Tammy<b> </b>Duckworth, U.S. Reps. Mike<b> </b>Quigley and<b> </b>Jesus<b> </b>“Chuy” Garcia, Lt. Gov. Juliana<b> </b>Stratton<b> </b>and<b> </b>Evanston<b> </b>Mayor<b> </b>Daniel<b> </b>Biss. Stratton and Biss are the Democratic nominees for Senate and the 9th Congressional District,<b> </b>respectively.</p><p>Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined in Thursday, saying that Boutros \"must resign immediately.\"</p><p>\"I am appalled to learn of U.S. Attorney Boutros' wholly inappropriate conduct in the 'Broadview 6' case,\" Lightfoot <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://x.com/LoriLightfoot/status/2062658380863348793\" target=\"_blank\" >said on social media</a>, noting that she previously worked as a federal prosecutor. \"He has betrayed the trust of the public, and he has sullied the reputation of the office.\"</p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center> <div class=\"Enhancement-item\" data-crop=\"\"> <figure class=\"Figure\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-910000\" name=\"image-910000\"></a> <picture data-crop=\"medium\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9e8cf6a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+369/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fff%2F54%2F6340708640ad8fe81d57d95edf4c%2Fboutros-043025-21.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6376371/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+369/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fff%2F54%2F6340708640ad8fe81d57d95edf4c%2Fboutros-043025-21.jpg 2x\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a2b43f6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+369/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fff%2F54%2F6340708640ad8fe81d57d95edf4c%2Fboutros-043025-21.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Andrew Boutros, the new U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, speaks to reporters during an interview at the Everett M. Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in the Loop, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a2b43f6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+369/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fff%2F54%2F6340708640ad8fe81d57d95edf4c%2Fboutros-043025-21.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/861b95f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+369/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fff%2F54%2F6340708640ad8fe81d57d95edf4c%2Fboutros-043025-21.jpg 2x\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a2b43f6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+369/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fff%2F54%2F6340708640ad8fe81d57d95edf4c%2Fboutros-043025-21.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> <div class=\"Figure-content\"><figcaption class=\"Figure-caption\"><p>Andrew Boutros, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, speaks to reporters during an interview at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse on April 29, 2025.</p></figcaption><span class=\"line\"></span><div class=\"Figure-credit\"><p>Pat Nabong/Sun-Times</p></div></div> </figure> </div> </div><p>Calls for Boutros’ resignation have also come from at least four members of the <b>“</b>Broadview Six,” the group of Operation Midway Blitz protesters charged last fall by Boutros’ office with felony conspiracy. The case against them <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/05/21/broadview-ice-protest-grand-jury-transcript-kat-abughazaleh-trump\" target=\"_blank\" >collapsed last month</a> amid claims of prosecutorial misconduct before a grand jury that a judge said left her “incredibly shocked.”</p><p>Charged were former congressional candidate Kat<b> </b>Abughazaleh, Oak Park village trustee Brian<b> </b>Straw, former Cook County Board candidate Catherine<b> </b>“Cat”<b> </b>Sharp, 45th Ward Democratic committeeperson Michael<b> </b>Rabbitt, musician<b> </b>Joselyn<b> </b>Walsh<b> </b>and<b> </b>onetime<b> </b>Abughazaleh<b> </b>campaign worker Andre<b> </b>Martin.</p><p>Abughazaleh, Rabbitt, Sharp and Straw have all called for Boutros to quit.</p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/06/01/broadview-six-midway-blitz-abughazaleh-straw-rabbit-perry-trump-ice-crime\" >‘Broadview 6’ defendants reflect on case doomed by feds’ apparent misconduct: ‘We didn’t commit a crime’</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>Boutros told U.S. District Judge April Perry he didn’t know until late April about the improprieties that finally caused the case to collapse May 21. However, defense attorneys have also accused Boutros’ office of a “cover-up”<b> </b>because the apparent misconduct was redacted out of transcripts that had been given to Perry by prosecutors in late April.</p><p>Then, Boutros acknowledged this week he’d had contact with grand jurors<b> </b>the day they handed up the indictment against<b> </b>the<b> </b>“Broadview Six”<b> </b>— after grand jurors had once rejected the case. He urged anyone “struggling with a certain type of cases, such as the immigration cases,” to<b> </b>“raise your hand and identify yourself.”</p><p>His office released a report complaining of<b> </b>“grand jury disturbances and potential tension.” It concluded that “grand juries unwilling to deliberate individually or as a collective body, or unwilling to attend grand jury sessions at all … are a threat to the rule of law.”</p><p>Still, Blanche wrote that Boutros “has steadfastly advanced President Trump’s mission to make Chicago and Northern Illinois safe for the American people.” He also wrote that indictments have increased under Boutros.</p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/04/02/chicago-crime-sheridan-gorman-loyola\" >Feds hit Sheridan Gorman’s alleged killer with gun charge, taking ‘no chances’ he’ll be released</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>Criminal cases filed in Chicago’s federal court rose 32% from 2024 to 2025, records show. Boutros first took office in April 2025, having been temporarily appointed to the role<b> </b>by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi. Chicago’s federal judges later<b> </b><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/2025/07/25/chicagos-federal-judges-choose-andrew-boutros-as-top-prosecutor\" target=\"_blank\" >chose<b> </b>Boutros<b> </b>to serve</a> on a more permanent basis.</p><p>Blanche also cited prosecutions of individuals tied to the Sinaloa drug cartel, including the guilty plea<b> </b>in December of<b> </b><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/el-chapo/2025/12/01/el-chapo-son-admits-to-el-mayo-kidnapping-in-deal-with-feds-that-could-save-him-from-life-sentence\" target=\"_blank\" >Joaquin<b> </b>Guzman<b> </b>Lopez</a>, the son of drug kingpin Joaquin<b> </b>“El Chapo” Guzman<b> </b>Loera. However, the prosecution of Guzman Lopez <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/4/14/23683539/chapo-elchapo-sons-sinaloa-cartel-drug-indictment-drugs-merrick-garland-chicago\" target=\"_blank\" >predates Boutros’ tenure</a> as U.S. attorney. It was part of a collaboration between federal prosecutors<b> </b>in southern California<b> </b>and the Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section.</p><p>Boutros’ office did secure an indictment in March against<b> </b>an<b> </b>alleged<b> </b>Sinaloa<b> </b>boss<b> </b>on drug, firearm<b> </b>and material support of terrorism charges.</p><p>Blanche also praised Boutros for an <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/04/02/chicago-crime-sheridan-gorman-loyola\" target=\"_blank\" >illegal gun possession charge</a> filed<b> </b>April 2 against<b> </b>Jose<b> </b>Medina, the man with no legal status in the United States who is accused of killing<b> </b>Loyola University Chicago freshman Sheridan Gorman.</p><p>Medina faces murder charges in state court. He has yet to be arraigned, or indicted, on the federal gun charge.</p>",
  "title": "Trump's attorney general backs Boutros amid fallout from botched ‘Broadview 6’ case",
  "updatedAt": "2026-06-04T22:47:30.573Z"
}