WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� is set to atop the Justice Department during a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday that will test President Donald Trump鈥檚 grip on Republican lawmakers whose support the nominee will need for the job.
Blanche, according to prepared remarks released before the hearing, is expected to tell lawmakers that he and his team are 鈥渞estoring trust鈥� in the Justice Department. It鈥檚 a nod toward complaints from Democrats that he has weaponized the law enforcement institution by pursuing criminal investigations into Trump鈥檚 perceived adversaries.
Blanche, Trump鈥檚 former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April. During that time, he has into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of meant to compensate the Republican president鈥檚 allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with of news media leaks.
Here’s the latest:
Blanche鈥檚 confirmation hearing has ended
After about five hours, Todd Blanche鈥檚 confirmation hearing is over.
Blanche tried to make the case that he would serve as an independent attorney general if confirmed, bidding to counter accusations from Democrats who say he鈥檚 been doing President Trump鈥檚 bidding while leading the Justice Department in an acting capacity.
Blanche was repeatedly questioned over the deal to settle Trump鈥檚 IRS lawsuit, including by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, whose vote Blanche needs to be confirmed as attorney general.
Blanche says Justice Department is 鈥榥ot targeting reporters鈥� with subpoenas
The acting attorney general was pressed about subpoenas issued on Friday that seek to force New York Times reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan after they reported on security concerns involving the new, .
The subpoenas, some of which were delivered to reporters at their homes, were swiftly condemned by free press advocates as an effort to intimidate media organizations and chill news gathering.
Blanche said the Justice Department is 鈥渘ot targeting reporters.鈥�
He said investigators want to question the reporters on 鈥渨ho provided them with classified national security information,鈥� which, he added, 鈥渆verybody in this body should want to protect.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e material witnesses, just like a reporter would be a material witness to a car crash,鈥� Blanche said.
Blanche defends Trump鈥檚 audit immunity deal
Democrats have repeatedly asked Blanche about part of a deal to resolve Trump鈥檚 IRS lawsuit, which granted the president and members of his family protection from tax audits.
While the administration says it has shelved a separate part of the lawsuit deal 鈥� a $1.8 billion fund to compensate allies of the president 鈥� Blanche has previously said the audit immunity remains on track. That鈥檚 despite outrage over it, even from Republicans.
Blanche defended the immunity deal again during the hearing. He denied that it placed Trump above the law.
Key Republican says he鈥檚 still undecided on Blanche
After questioning Blanche, Sen. John Cornyn said he still hasn鈥檛 made up his mind over whether he will support his nomination for attorney general. If Cornyn votes against Blanche, it could scuttle his nomination.
Cornyn, who in May lost his primary, pressed Blanche during the hearing about the creation of a the president鈥檚 allies and a . Cornyn told CNN afterward that he continues 鈥渢o have some concerns鈥� and is not 鈥済oing to make any decisions at this point.鈥�
Another closely watched Republican senator, Thom Tillis, indicated during questioning that he is likely to support Blanche.
Tillis, a key vote for Blanche, criticizes Democrats in his remarks
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina opened his questioning by telling Blanche he 鈥渁ppeared to be doing very well.鈥�
He then launched into a lengthy criticism of Democrats for not speaking out against what he viewed as politically motivated prosecutions under former President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration.
鈥淚t鈥檚 almost as if they weren鈥檛 here when the Biden administration did the indictments against President Trump,鈥� Tillis said of Democrats.
Tillis said he wanted 鈥渢o stick a fork in this turkey of a 1776 fund,鈥� referring to the administration鈥檚 shelved 鈥渁nti-weaponization fund.鈥� He pressed Blanche to commit to helping with language to put into law that the fund cannot be resurrected.
Blanche said he 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� would.
Blanche says he hasn鈥檛 been 鈥榗elebrating鈥� Trump鈥檚 mass pardons for Capitol rioters
Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, told Blanche that it was a 鈥渟hameful slap in the face鈥� for Trump to pardon supporters who assaulted police officers during a mob鈥檚 Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Coons asked Blanche if he was proud of Trump鈥檚 decision.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 celebrating it,鈥� Blanche said. But he added that he believes it was 鈥渧ery generous鈥� for Trump to issue the blanket pardons to Capitol rioters.
Coons asked Blanche if he knew why Trump fired his predecessor, Pam Bondi, in April.
鈥淚 have no idea,鈥� Blanche said. 鈥淲e all serve at the pleasure of President Trump.鈥�
Coons also asked Blanche whether he would resign if the president asked him to do something unethical.
鈥淭hat would never happen, but yes: If it were to happen, I鈥檓 not going to violate my oath to the Constitution,鈥� Blanche replied.
Whitehouse asks how long Blanche will 鈥榩ut up with that Kash Patel character鈥�
Enumerating criticism of Director 鈥檚 use of the FBI plane and his global travel, blurring , Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse asked if the trips were 鈥渁 pretext for activities like snorkeling and girlfriends.鈥�
Blanche called the question 鈥渆xtraordinarily obnoxious,鈥� going on to say he has 鈥渇ull faith鈥� in Patel.
鈥淕reat, you get to own that,鈥� Whitehouse quipped.
According to government emails , the FBI took pains to note Patel wasn鈥檛 on vacation when he visited Hawaii last summer, highlighting his walking tour of the bureau鈥檚 Honolulu field office and meetings with local law enforcement.
Left out of the FBI鈥檚 releases was an excursion Patel took days later when he participated in what government officials described as a 鈥淰IP snorkel鈥� around , an outing coordinated by the military.
鈥業鈥檓 his lawy
er,鈥� Blanche says of Trump, before correcting himself
Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, asked Blanche a string of questions about the nature of his relationship with Trump, including whether he considered the president a friend. Blanche represented Trump in multiple cases, including the election fraud case in Washington, before joining the Justice Department under Trump鈥檚 second term.
Blanche referred to himself as Trump鈥檚 attorney in the present tense, saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 his lawyer鈥� before correcting himself to say that he 鈥渨as his lawyer.鈥�
Kennedy also asked Blanche if the president had ever asked him to do something illegal. Blanche said Trump had not.
鈥淲ould you do it if he asked you?鈥� Kennedy asked.
鈥淎bsolutely not,鈥� Blanche said.
Questioned by Cornyn, Blanche says $1.8B weaponization 鈥榝und is dead鈥�
That came during an exchange with Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who is among the Republicans concerned about Blanche鈥檚 nomination and who asked about the status of set up by the Trump administration for compensating people who claim to be victims of a weaponized government.
鈥淚 never started. No money went from the Treasury to any other account,鈥� Blanche said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no commissioners. It鈥檚 not moving forward.鈥�
Last month, a federal judge agreed to extend a court-ordered block on the fund indefinitely. Blanche previously told Congress the government was scrapping its plans in the face of fierce bipartisan backlash.
But plaintiffs鈥� attorneys haven鈥檛 been satisfied with Blanche鈥檚 assurances that the fund won鈥檛 move forward.
As Cornyn questioned that the agreement notes it remains 鈥渆nforceable,鈥� Blanche said he had discussed with Cornyn and others 鈥渁bout potentially codifying, so there鈥檚 no weaponization fund, which is certainly something that could be done.鈥�
Blanche: 鈥業 don鈥檛 question President Trump鈥檚 authority鈥� on Jan. 6 pardons
Blanche didn鈥檛 endorse Trump鈥檚 move specifically, but said the U.S. Constitution gives presidents 鈥渢he authority to pardon anybody for any federal crime.鈥�
Just hours after returning to the White House last year, , commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes .
Durbin took issue with the decision, saying that 鈥渟omeone should have grabbed him by the arm and said, 鈥楽top, you can鈥檛 release all of those rioters.鈥欌��
鈥淔or the president to give a blanket pardon to these individuals is something that I don鈥檛 think you can explain to the American people,鈥� Durbin added.
Blanche defends the settlement that granted Trump immunity from tax audits
Durbin pressed Blanche over a deal to end Trump鈥檚 over his leaked tax returns. The Justice Department has faced intense scrutiny over part of the settlement that granted the president .
Blanche said such an agreement is 鈥渢ypical鈥� in settlements like that one.
鈥淣obody is above the law,鈥� Blanche told Durbin. 鈥淎nd when we enter the settlements like that 鈥� It doesn鈥檛 make any of those individuals above the law.鈥�
Blanche says his heart 鈥榖reaks鈥� for Epstein鈥檚 victims
Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who is ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, repeatedly pressed Blanche about whether he would commit to meeting with Jeffrey Epstein鈥檚 victims.
Durbin noted that 10 victims of Epstein were in the room for Blanche鈥檚 confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
鈥淚 appreciate them being here today,鈥� Blanche said. 鈥淚 have never said I wouldn鈥檛 meet with survivors.鈥�
鈥淚 hope you would do it immediately, or we鈥檙e going to hold you to it,鈥� Durbin said.
Blanche said he would be willing to prosecute 鈥渁nyone who did any harm to any of these victims.鈥�
鈥淢y heart breaks for every survivor,鈥� he said.
Blanche defends DOJ鈥檚 handling of the Epstein files
Under questioning from the committee鈥檚 Republican chair, Blanche acknowledged that the Justice Department made redaction mistakes when reviewing and releasing millions of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation.
Blanche said he takes responsibility for the mistakes that were made, but also said department lawyers who reviewed the documents took pains to protect victims and quickly fixed any errors.
The fallout over the department鈥檚 handling of the Epstein files continues to plague the Trump administration.
Blanche said the administration has been 鈥渆xtraordinarily transparent鈥� in releasing the files, despite the department agreeing to release more records only after Congress passed a law forcing it to do so.
鈥榃e are restoring trust鈥� in the Justice Department, Blanche says
Blanche, Trump鈥檚 former personal lawyer, alluded in his opening statement to the criminal cases brought against Trump in the last administration.
Blanche said that 鈥渋n recent years, Americans watched the Justice Department turn against many of you and a former president, and it damaged the public鈥檚 faith in justice.鈥�
He added: 鈥淲e are fixing that.鈥�
While the Trump administration has said it is determined to end the 鈥渨eaponization鈥� of law enforcement that it said occurred under the Biden administration, critics argue it has instead turned the agency into a tool of retribution against Trump鈥檚 political opponents.
The department under Trump has opened investigations or brought prosecutions against numerous foes of the president, including former FBI Director James Comey.
Blanche highlights the Justice Department鈥檚 shifting priorities under Trump
In his opening statement, Blanche touted the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to lower violent crime, stem the flow of illicit drugs, prosecute dangerous cartels and take down fraudsters taking advantage of American taxpayers.
The Justice Department under Trump has moved aggressively to prioritize immigration enforcement and turn up the pressure on cartels. It also created a new division dedicated to tackling fraud in taxpayer-funded programs.
Florida senator highlights Blanche鈥檚 pre-Trump career
As a counter to Democrats鈥� narrative portraying Blanche as loyal only to Trump, Sen. Ashley Moody reminded the committee that the acting attorney general began his career at the Department of Justice as a paralegal.
Moody also detailed Blanche鈥檚 years with the Southern District of New York, where she said, 鈥淗e prosecuted drug traffickers and violent criminals.鈥� She also detailed various awards and commendations he received while in that role.
Watch these 2 Republicans on the committee
The stakes are high for Blanche, who needs the support of every Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee for his nomination to advance.
Two of those Republicans 鈥� Sen. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn 鈥� haven鈥檛 committed to supporting him.
Tillis has been an outspoken critic of that the Trump administration created to compensate people who feel unjustly persecuted by the criminal justice system and then quickly withdrew.
Tillis and Cornyn are expected to grill Blanche over of the settlement that afforded Trump and members of his family protection from tax audits.
Durbin says Blanche still acts like Trump鈥檚 personal attorney
In his opening statement, Sen. Dick Durbin railed against actions taken by the Justice Department under Blanche鈥檚 watch, including a move to create a $1.8 billion fund meant to compensate allies of the president.
The top Democrat on the committee also condemned the purging of Justice Department employees deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump and the department鈥檚 handling of millions of investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein鈥檚 sex trafficking investigation.
Durbin accused Blanche of still acting like Trump鈥檚 personal lawyer, pursuing investigations against the president鈥檚 foes while taking steps to aid his allies.
鈥淚n less than 18 months at the Department of Justice, you鈥檝e shown you鈥檙e still President Trump鈥檚 personal attorney,鈥� Durbin said.
Attorney general confirmation hearing getting underway
Blanche is expected to face bipartisan scrutiny as he seeks the chance to serve out the duration of Trump鈥檚 term.
Blanche, Trump鈥檚 former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April, when Pam Bondi was fired after struggling to bring successful cases against Trump鈥檚 political foes.
Since taking the reins at the Justice Department, Blanche has into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of a meant to compensate the president鈥檚 allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with an of news media leaks.
Blanche faces Senate scrutiny, with Republican support key to his confirmation as attorney general
will confront questions Wednesday about his brief but turbulent tenure atop the Justice Department during a Senate confirmation hearing that will test President Donald Trump鈥檚 grip on Republican lawmakers whose support the nominee will need for the job.
Blanche, Trump鈥檚 former personal attorney, has run the department on an interim basis since April, during which time he鈥檚 into Trump foes, functioned as the public face of meant to compensate the Republican president鈥檚 allies and alarmed press freedom advocates with of news media leaks.
Those actions will receive fresh scrutiny at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as Blanche testifies for the opportunity to serve out the duration of Trump鈥檚 term.
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